


Light in the Darkness

by kirallie



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anti-Form Sora, Castle Oblivion (Kingdom Hearts), Donald and Goofy are very protective of Sora, F/M, Heartless Sora (Kingdom Hearts), M/M, Sora wasn't a Shadow
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:06:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 60,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28548345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirallie/pseuds/kirallie
Summary: Sora willingly became a Heartless to save Kairi, how could he do anything else when he'd already failed to save Riku? From that and the Drive Forms, Anti-form was born. Remembering what happened when he was like that was hard, but one memory did stand out and it confused him. Why had he protected an Organisation member?
Relationships: Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 83





	1. ch1

_Disclaimer: Don't own Kingdom Hearts or anything._

_Yep, another new story._

**Chapter 1**

Sora really didn't like Hollow Bastion, it was a massive maze full of really powerful Heartless. That was bad enough but having to face Riku…his friend had changed so much, the old Riku would never had said those things, would have never tried to hurt…kill…him. The Darkness had taken him over and Sora was terrified that he was lost forever. For a second after he'd beaten him, he'd seen a flicker of the old Riku but then he'd run off.

Sora spun, blocking an attack, shoving it away. It kind of looked like a shadow, just bigger and meaner, almost more…human? He shook that thought off and settled into a defensive stance as a group formed around them. They were definitely more powerful than Shadows, tougher to destroy, and better at working together.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora tried not to flinch as they walked down the centre of the hall, seeing the six Princess almost lifeless in some kind of capsule, with what looked like crystal creeping up their lower bodies. It was a near non-stop battle until they reached the stairs up to the main area in front of the great heart. Sora's eyes immediately fell on the unmoving form lying on the ground.

"Kairi!" he rushed over, kneeling, to lift her into his arms, not noticing when Goofy was unable to follow off the stairs. He gently shook her, terrified by how still she was. "Kairi! Kairi! Open your eyes!" he begged.

"It's no use."

Sora looked up, seeing Riku sitting above the great heart, except…there was something very off about him, beyond how odd his voice sounded.

"That girl has lost her heart. She cannot wake up," he continued.

Sora set Kairi down softly, sensing the darkness in Riku's voice. "Who are you? You... You're not Riku."

"The Keyhole cannot be completed so long as the last princess of heart still sleeps," he ignored Sora's question, dropping down from where he was sitting, practically floating down to stand before the keyhole.

Sora glanced back at Kairi in shock. "Princess...? Kairi's a princess?"

"Yes, and without her power, the Keyhole will remain incomplete. It is time she awakened."

Sora spun back to him, anger rising, how dare he use Riku! "Whoever you are, let Riku go! Give him back his heart!" he demanded, Keyblade in hand.

Riku's body smirked at him, reaching out a hand. "But first, you must give the princess back her heart." He pointed a Keyblade at Sora.

Sora gasped, clutching his chest in pain, feeling something pulling inside, even as he fell to the floor, barely catching himself on his hands.

"Sora!" Donald cried in alarm.

"What's—" his arms shook, his whole chest aching, no…his heart.

"Don't you see yet?" the thing possessing Riku taunted, Sora could hear him walking down the stairs, but didn't have the strength to lift his head. "The princess' heart is responding. It has been there all along. Kairi's heart rests within you!"

"Kairi... Kairi's inside me?" he breathed, turning his head enough to see her. It was his fault she was like that? How…when the door opened, she'd been pushed towards him, through him, had that been it?

"I know all that there is to know."

"Tell me," he grunted in effort but managed to get up on his knees, head up. "Who are you?"

That was not Riku's smile, more proof it wasn't him in control, even as he spread his arms. "It is I, Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness."

He walked toward Sora, prompting Donald to yell out and rush at him, but he simply knocked the duck past the barrier as if he was nothing and moved on. He stood over Sora, looking down with euphoria, and pointed his Keyblade toward him. Sora refused to be cowed, meeting his gaze defiantly.

"So, I shall release you now, Princess. Complete the Keyhole with your power. Open the door, lead me into everlasting darkness!" With a mad look in his eye, Ansem lifted the Keyblade, readying to strike.

Sora watched with wide eyes, part of him unable to believe it even as the rest of his mind screamed to move.

' _Sora!'_ Kairi's voice called out to him.

Sora lifted his Keyblade and blocked the strike. Ansem grit his teeth, putting more pressure on the blade, but Sora matched him, beginning to push up off his knees. "Forget it! There's no way you're taking Kairi's heart!" he snarled as he shoved up the last bit to stand, knocking back Ansem's blade.

He leapt back and then smirked, extending his hand. "Come!"

Sora did, striking him square in the side. He winced, but recovered, blocking a further attack. He tried to toy with Sora, forcing him to strike first and then dodging at the last minute. Sora blocked his next strike and sent a Thunder spell at Ansem, who responded with a dark fireball that hit Sora straight in the chest, knocking him back.

"Now witness true power!" Ansem called, an aura surrounding him as he floated into the air, his left hand glowing. He plunged his Keyblade into the ground, unleashing lightning shockwaves from the floor. Ansem's eyes were wide with madness and he laughed as he fought Sora. He swiped the Keyblade down, sending a blade of energy surging toward Sora, who used an Aero spell to protect himself from the majority of the attack.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

All they could do was watch as Sora fought his possessed friend. Donald felt terrible and wondered…if he hadn't said no to Riku going with them, could things have been different? Could they have saved the boy from this? How was Sora meant to strike down someone he cared for so much?

It was a close fight but every time it looked like Ansem had him, Sora fought back even harder, finding new ways to use the spells he'd learnt to defend and attack. Donald was proud of him, so much for telling Sora he sucked at magic despite his large reserves.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

"Behold the power of darkness!" Ansem started running impossibly fast, pelting Sora with blow after blow from his Keyblade as he rushed around the room.

Sora endured the blows, waiting for the chance to strike. He healed as soon as he could and once Ansem stopped running, he tossed the Keyblade at him, hitting him square in the face. Ansem staggered, the Keyblade falling from his hands, a shocked expression on his face. Their eyes met and for a moment, the madness faded, and Sora saw Riku. Riku's body disappeared, leaving behind the dark Keyblade and Sora lunged forward, too late.

"Riku!" he screamed in denial. He collapsed to his knees, exhausted, magic drained, small cuts and scratches stinging like crazy. He felt the warmth of Donald's healing spell settle over him, taking care of the small pains, looking up to see them staring into the Dark Depths.

"Sora! Sora, look!" Donald pointed.

"The... The Keyhole!"

Sora pushed back to his feet, walking over to the bottom of the stairs and aimed his Keyblade…which didn't respond.

"It won't work! The Keyhole's not finished yet!" Goofy wailed and Sora released his Keyblade.

"What can we do?" he whispered, he felt…defeated. He'd never felt so hopeless before. Riku was gone, first possessed and now…and Kairi wouldn't wake up.

"Maybe we've gotta go wake Kairi up."

"I think you're right," he whispered, looking over at her, pressing his hand to his heart. "If we can free her heart... But... But how?" her heart was inside of his, how could he…his eyes fell on the Keyblade that Riku had wielded. "A Keyblade that unlocks people's hearts... I wonder."

"Sora?" Goofy sounded worried, but Sora ignored him, walking over to pick up the Keyblade, staring at it in fascination. "Sora, hold on!"

"No, wait!" Donald called.

He looked up and smiled at them, holding the blade in both hands against his chest. It was the only way to make things right now, he had to save Kairi. Donald and Goofy would keep her safe, get her home one day. He took a deep breath and pressed the blade down, stabbing himself in the chest. His chest glowed brightly and the Keyblade floated out of him. It didn't hurt, he felt…numb, everything becoming distant…he watched as six lights floated up, soaring away, as the Keyblade broke apart. He was falling but he struggled to keep his eyes open, to turn his head and see her one last time, to make sure it had worked. A light surged from his chest floating over to Kairi and he saw her begin to move, smiling again as his eyes fell shut. He couldn't feel anything anymore.

The entrance to the Dark Depths shimmered, the barrier broken, and Sora glowed brightly, slowly falling.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Donald ran toward Sora, unable to look away as the glowing boy was falling slowly backward, his eyes shut, face…peaceful. "Sora... Sora!" he cried but there was no reaction at all.

"Sora!" Kairi yelled, scrambling up, running as well. Her longer legs allowed her to reach Sora, falling to her knees to catch him but as she touched him he burst into a million points of light, floating into the air to disappear, leaving Kairi in shock.

"Sora! Come back, Sora!" Donald yelled towards where the lights had vanished. No! Not Sora!

They remained motionless, waiting for any sort of sign, but there was nothing.

"Sora, are you really…No. He can't be! I won't let him go!" she yelled as she got to her feet. She looked as lost as Donald felt, and he absently sent a healing spell at her, just to be safe.

"So, you have awakened at last, Princess. The Keyhole is now complete. You have served your purpose. But now it's over."

They spun at the sound of an unfamiliar voice…no, not completely. It was the voice that had overlayed Riku's…this was the one that had possessed him? He walked slowly towards Kairi, and Donald didn't even have to check with Goofy as they moved between her and Ansem.

"Don't make another move!" He warned, readying his magic for a fight.

"Do you think we can stop him all by ourselves?" Goofy asked softly.

"I don't know!" But they had to try! Sora had given literally everything to save her, they couldn't let her die now.

,,,,,,,,,,,

As he approached, he suddenly stopped, struggling to move his own body.

"Impossible..."

He grunted, a prisoner in his own body, even as an image of Riku appeared before him, facing the other three. Foolish child, he had ensured his own destruction in doing so.

,,,,,,,,,,

"No. You won't use me for this!" Riku held out his arms, blocking Ansem from proceeding further, but also shielding them from him. It was all he could do to buy them time. His eyes locked on Kairi, glad to see her awake, but...where was Sora? She looked so sad…no, not Sora.

"Riku!" she reached for him, but Goofy held her back.

"You've got to run! The Heartless are coming!" he warned, pleading with them to run while they could, even as a horde of Shadows and Neoshadows appeared, surrounding them.

Kairi touched her necklace, staring mournfully at him, but then nodded, trying to give him one last, sad, smile. She turned and rushed for the stairs, Donald and Goofy with her. His last sight was of them running, the Heartless fading…no, a single Neoshadow remained, leaping after them. He tried to yell, to warn them, but everything went black.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

"What about the Keyhole?" Goofy asked as they ran through the Castle.

"Let's just get out of here!" Donald yelled at him.

None of them noticed the lone Heartless watching them, its body swaying gently as it crouched on the rail, before it leapt down and began to follow them.

They ran through the Castle, keeping Kairi safely between them, choosing to run rather than fight anything that showed up, only fighting to clear the path when they had no other choice. Goofy jumped down a level in the main lift area, Donald helping Kairi drop down to him before following once Goofy had set her down, it was quicker than making their way around the outside to get to the lower level, if risky.

They finally made it to the Entrance Hall, Donald and Goofy rushing to the castle gates but had to stop since Kairi was standing at the head of the stairs still.

"Kairi, hurry!" Goofy urged her to move.

"I can't leave them behind!" She shook her head and he really felt bad for her, for making her leave them, but there was no other choice. They couldn't defeat the numbers in the Castle and without a Keyblade they would keep coming!

"We can't stay here!"

She hesitated, looking back, before running down the stairs as the Neoshadow appeared in the hall.

"A Heartless is after us!" Goofy readied his shield as she reached them.

"I'll take care of him!"

The Heartless leapt from the balcony to land in front of the fountain, moving towards them, and Donald hit it on the head with his magic wand.

"Confounded Heartless! Get lost, will ya?" he snapped, but it didn't die or attack him in return.

It stared at him with unblinking yellow eyes and Donald found himself lowering his arm, confused. That was not normal Heartless behaviour. It seemed completely unfazed by Donald's actions before it broke their staring competition and looked over at Kairi.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi stared at the strange creature. It was a Heartless, she knew that, could remember bits and pieces of things since that night, but not a kind she could remember seeing through Sora. There was something about it, something different, and Kairi could feel it. However strange, however impossible, she knew it to be true. She took a small step towards it, hand reaching out, and it stayed where it was, hands resting on the ground as it stared at her, the long antennae trailing behind it. She could make out flashing of blue, like trails of lightning, scattered across its body. It looked so inhuman and yet…

"Sora? Is that you?" she whispered, hearing the noises of shocked disbelief from the others. She ignored them, focused on him, watching as he shifted towards her.

The group was suddenly surrounded by more Neoshadows and Shadows and she froze, looking around. She had no weapon, no way to fight, even as Donald and Goofy rushed to fight them. Kairi turned her back on Sora, putting herself between him and the rest.

"This time, I'll protect you," she told him, feeling him press against her back hesitantly, wondering if he could understand her, if he even really recognised her.

The Heartless surrounding them slowly moved closer to their prey. They paused, their antennae and glowing eyes taking in everything and Kairi tensed in anticipation, pressing back against Sora, feeling the Darkness in his form, it was growing every second. Would he join them and attack her if it grew too much? They pounced and Kairi whirled around, putting her arms around Sora, ignoring the Darkness in him, her eyes clenched shut.

"Sora!" She screamed as she felt the other Darkness's, pile on her, surrounding them totally.

"Kairi!" she barely heard Goofy yell her name.

She held tightly to Sora, ignoring how strange he felt in her arms, the coldness of his body. She would protect him! She couldn't lose him too, not Sora. She could see him in her mind, smiling happily as he ran across the sand, sleeping on the beach, play fighting with Riku…She felt the light building and let it go. Everything went white and she swayed forward, but solid arms caught her, pulling her in close to a warm body that smelt of sunlight and home.

"Kairi, thank you," a familiar voice whispered in her ear.

Kairi opened her eyes slowly, terrified it was her imagination, but nothing changed. The body holding her was human, warm and familiar, sparkles of light floating around them still.

"Sora..." she gasped, hugging him back, trying not to cry. She didn't know how but somehow he was back.

"Sora!" Donald and Goofy shouted happily, and he let her go only to be grabbed by the two and hugged tightly.

More Heartless appeared and she was pushed into the middle of the group even as Sora called his Keyblade, but she was scared, he looked exhausted and pale, but determined to fight and protect her.

There was a loud roar form the top of the fountain and she saw Sora smile in relief at the hulking figure there. It leapt down to them and knocked several Heartless aside. "Go! Now!" It…no, he, yelled.

"Come with us!" Sora told him, he definitely knew the…beast?

"I told you before, I'm not leaving without Belle. Now, go! The Heartless are coming!"

Sora hesitated but then nodded, grabbing her hand. "All right. Let's get out of here. We'll be back," he called and then they were running.

,,,,,,,,,,

Sora sat on the bed in the small house the group was using, he was exhausted and no amount of healing spells would get rid of the bone deep ache. He felt…strange, not entirely there or something. He needed to sleep but he…he was scared to. What if he didn't wake from the darkness? He knew it had almost taken him, much longer and he would have been just another Heartless, would have tried to kill Kairi, to take her heart, even as she tried to protect him. He hadn't known who he was, hadn't really remembered anything by the time the light had wrapped around him. He didn't know how she'd done it, but he could never thank her enough.

"Okay kid?"

He jerked at the voice, but it was just Leon, watching him in concern, and Sora nodded.

"You should get some sleep, once Cid gets the ship fixed up you won't get much time."

"I know," he muttered, drawing his knees up under his chin.

He heard Leon sigh and then the bed dipped, the man sitting beside him, a hesitant hand resting on his back and Sora shivered. He felt hyperaware of every touch, the feel of his clothing on his skin, everything and yet at the same time he felt somehow numb, it didn't make any sense.

"What's wrong?" Leon pressed, and Sora began to tremble, clenching his hands into fists in his hair.

He heard Leon's sharp intake of breath and then his larger hands were grabbing his, easing them down, too strong for Sora to even bother struggling against. He slumped limply against Leon who easily supported him, laying him down and covering him with a blanket even as he shook. There was talking around him, noises…and then he felt Aerith's hand on his forehead before sleep claimed him, vaguely realised she'd used magic on him.

,,,,,,,,,,

Aerith looked at the sleeping teenager, worried for him. She looked up at Kairi, seeing her fear as she took a lax hand in hers. "What happened to him?" she asked, and the younger girl took a deep breath but told them. A Heartless…oh Sora. It was over now, he was back, but who knew what kind of long-term effect that might have on him.

_TBC…_

_Yes, I made Sora a Neoshadow instead of a Shadow. Something a little scarier looking and not one you see every fight._

_Pairing suggestions welcome._


	2. ch2

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 2**

Kairi sat beside the bed Sora was sleeping in, he looked peaceful now, but was the just because of Aerith’s magic? It was all her fault, he had killed himself because of her, to free her heart, he’d willingly become a Heartless to save her and now… she’d just thought he was tired from the fighting so seeing him shaking and grabbing his hair like that, Leon having to force his hands down… what if something was wrong? Would he…would he become a Heartless again? She didn’t know how she’d turned him back and didn’t know if she could do it again.

“Don’t worry Kairi, Sora’s strong,” Goofy assured her, a hand resting on her shoulder.

“It’s all my fault,” she sobbed.

“No it isn’t,” an old man appeared beside her, patting her shoulder, before sitting on the edge of the bed. “Now then, let’s take a look.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Merlin examined the sleeping boy, ignoring Aerith’s magic. He had never seen anything like it before! He had seen a person become a Heartless before, it was not something nice to see, and from their descriptions, it had definitely happened to Sora. He had been stabbed in the heart with a Keyblade, freeing young Kairi’s heart, and then faded away, forming a Heartless that had somehow retained enough of Sora that it had only followed them and not attacked. It had allowed Kairi to defend it, to hold it, and somehow her light had restored him…or so it appeared.

Kairi had restored him to a human appearance, to memory and some emotion…but there was definitely a component missing. His body was still that of a Heartless, just altered to look human. He had not known that was possible! His body had faded away and Merlin did not know of a way to bring it back. Could Sora live as he was now? Or would the Heartless instincts one day overwhelm him and return him to how he had been briefly? There was nothing to be done about it, only a Keyblade could now destroy him, just like a Heartless. Any other ‘death’ and he would simply reform elsewhere as they did, although whether it would be in his current form or Heartless one, Merlin wasn’t sure.

Should he tell them? Tell Sora? Or should he leave things be unless Sora began having trouble? His current issues were an easy enough fix, Kairi knew what Sora should look like but lacked the knowledge of the human body to make it function properly, leaving ‘nerves’ either too sensitive or not sensitive enough, and that was just the beginning. He would do what he could to help his new body function like a human one, but it would never be a perfect mimicry.

“Is he going to be alright?” she asked nervously, and Merlin sat back from the examination.

“You did something utterly amazing my dear girl, amazing and unprecedented, at least to my knowledge. This is not the body he had before he became a Heartless, it is brand new. If we had time, I would like to monitor him for several months, unfortunately, the Keyhole must be sealed,” he told her. “He needs to re-adjust to this form but in time he should be fine.” He just hoped he wasn’t lying to her, but the boy deserved to be the first to know the truth and make the decision on who to tell.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora sat on the bed, staring at his hands…except they kind of weren’t his hands, they were the hands of a Heartless. Kairi hadn’t really brought him back, she’d just changed his appearance back to how she remembered him. It should terrify him to know he wasn’t human anymore, what if he fell to the Heartless he’d been? Merlin had done what he could but he couldn’t fix him, no one could. At least now he knew why he’d been feeling a bit off since Hollow Bastion, he’d just have to get used to it. He wasn’t scared though, he wasn’t really anything anymore, he knew he should be feeling so many emotions but all he felt was numb.

He didn’t understand how the Keyblade would still answer his call, he was the very thing it was meant to destroy. He couldn’t tell anyone, if they knew… he shook his head and got up, shoving his shoes on, they didn’t have time for him to think about it. He had to seal that last Keyhole.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi hugged Sora tightly, the ship waiting, Donald and Goofy already aboard. “Be careful.”

“Promise.”

There was something…subdued about him since he’d woken and spoken with Merlin. What had he said to him? She didn’t understand what was going on with him, he was back, human and with a brand new body somehow. Then again…he had thought he’d killed Riku so that would be upsetting. And Riku was still possessed so many be did have a reason to be down,

“You’ll save Riku, I know you will. Then we’ll all go home together.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” he grinned but it wasn’t quite right. “Try not to get kidnapped again”! he teased and dashed off before she could retaliate.

Kairi laughed as he vanished into the ship, still the same old Sora.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku forced one foot in front of the other, he had to help that voice which meant he had to reach the door in time. He had to do it, for Sora and Kairi, he couldn’t let them pay for his mistakes. He was so tired… he shook his head even as his hand flickered like before. No! he would help close the Door to Darkness, even if it meant be trapped behind it forever, he deserved it for being such an idiot.

He was worried about Sora, when he’d reached for them like the voice said it had been so easy to tell Kairi was okay but Sora…something was wrong. What had happened to him? He’d beaten him but then when Ansem had emerged from the Darkness, there had been no sign of him…and Kairi was awake, she had her heart back…no, no way. Sora was fine, he had to be.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora carefully reached through the rip in his clothing, feeling unmarked skin beneath it. that blow would have killed him before, now he had barely felt it. No wonder it took so many blows from the others to take out even a Shadow. And he wasn’t one of those, Goofy had explained he had looked like the new ones they had seen in the Castle, the Neoshadows. How much Darkness did he have in him to take on that form?

He shook those thoughts off and stood, he knew the fight wasn’t over yet. Ansem claimed Riku was gone but he didn’t believe him, he couldn’t. Ansem and his stupid Guardian had been the toughest fight yet, and he just knew it wasn’t over yet. It didn’t help that he couldn’t get that cloaked figures words out of his head, the man had thoroughly beaten them. Somehow, the man seemed to know what had happened to him – had called him incomplete. But who did Sora remind him of?

Seeing home again had felt so weird, even if it wasn’t real, and he did wonder, when the Worlds were restored, would he go back to the Islands? Or would he end up in the Darkness with the rest of the Heartless? If he did…he knew he’d lose himself and be just like them eventually. He could feel it inside of him, the Darkness, the want to fight and destroy, but he could ignore it since it was locked behind a wall inside him, a wall made of Kairi’s Light. It was all he really felt though, he was emotionally numb, feeling only echoes of what should be other emotions. Everything had faded in those first few hours after she had given him back his humanity, he felt kind of empty, clinging to the echoes.

Of course, that was when everything went black and then they were falling.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Donald was worried about Sora but there was no time to stop and think or ask him as they fought the massive thing that Ansem had become. The whole thing was crazy, how many times did they have ta beat him to actually stop him?

Something had changed in the way Sora was fighting, he was ignoring wounds to land any blow he could. What good would it do to beat Ansem if doing so killed Sora? But he wasn’t listening, utterly focused on destroying the monster that had taken his friend. He was…kind of scary actually.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora pulled back as the World of Chaos began to burst from the inside, Keyblade held ready.

“Is this the answer? I can’t be...” Ansem spoke softly, looking shocked. The Guardian roared as it imploded, the veins connecting Ansem to the battleship shaking violently and he hung forward, dropping his sword. Ansem convulsed as the World of Chaos was enveloped by a glowing light. Forming a gigantic orb, it exploded, its energy scattering through the

abyss.

Sora stared down at Ansem, who floated before them, twitching, the door to Kingdom Hearts waiting behind him. Sora blinked the spots from his eyes caused by the bright light, the rush of battle fading back to numbness.

“It is futile. The Keyblade alone cannot seal the door to darkness.” He whirled around, reaching out towards the door, gazing madly as a man possessed. “Kingdom Hearts! Fill me with the power of darkness...” His hand trembled as he struggled to recite the words. The great door opened, tongues of darkness emanating from beyond its cold white stone. Ansem floated higher in the air, his robes billowing out behind him. “Supreme darkness...”

Sora stared into the Darkness but…there was something beyond it, something that both called to and repelled him. “You’re wrong,” he whispered before speaking louder, “I know now, without a doubt, Kingdom Hearts... is light!”

Without warning, a blinding light burst from beyond the door, causing Ansem to cover his eyes. It penetrated his being, sending him reeling. “Light...” He struggled against it, frozen in place, and Sora pushed himself back further, actually scared of what it would do to him. “But... Why...”

Light erupted from his body, crystals bursting from his chest. His arms were thrown apart as the light consumed everything. It looked a painful way to die, better to die from the Keyblade.

They flew over to the door and landed on the white sand, racing over to the door. “Come on!” He planted his hands on one of the double doors and began to push, as Goofy and Donald did the same with the other. Goofy peered through them and gasped.

“Stop staring and keep pushing!” Donald yelled at him, before taking a look as well, his eyes widening. “Huh?!”

Sora refused to look, focused on shutting the door.

“The Heartless!?”

“Hurry!” Donald yelled

What did he think they were doing, taking their time? Sora continued to push, but the enormous door hardly budged. “I can’t...”

A hand appeared from beyond the door. “Don’t give up!”

His head snapped up to find Riku staring back at him and for the first time since he had come back to Kairi holding him, he felt a surge of emotion and not just an echo.

“Come on, Sora! Together, we can do it!”

“Okay!” he agreed, continuing to push as Riku pulled from the other side. The door slowly began to close as stronger and stronger Heartless appeared in the dark realm, Sora knew because he could feel them and he felt a flash of fear for Riku.

“It’s hopeless!” Donald wailed.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku kept his eyes locked on Sora even as he pulled with everything he had. He ignored the Heartless behind him, although it was a relief when the King began destroying them. At least he got to see Sora one last time, part of him had been terrified that Sora was dead or worse. And yet…there was something off about him, he’d known Sora all his life, he knew him better than anyone. There was something...dull, like something was missing, even when he looked back at Riku in hope. He hated that he would destroy that hope by having to remain behind the door. He ignored the other two as they called out to their King, wanting to memorise everything.

,,,,,,,,,,,

“Now, Sora! Let’s close this door for good!” the King called.

“Close it, quick!” Donald agreed.

“But...” Sora began to realise the truth, Riku was not going to leave.

“Don’t worry. There will always be a door to the light.”

“Sora, you can trust King Mickey,” Goofy assured him.

Riku turned away from the door to look at the King. “Now! They’re coming!”

“Donald, Goofy, thank you,” the King called.

They pushed with everything they had and the doors began to close. “Riku!” he called, reaching for him, and Riku reached back, eyes sad. Their fingers touched entangling and Sora felt everything going black.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku was shocked when Sora reached passed the door to grab his hand but it was good to know he didn’t hate him, that…his thoughts cut off as Sora’s eyes rolled back and he fell forward, right through the small gap in the door. Riku caught him as the door slammed shut, Mickey sealing it from their side. “Sora? Sora! Wake up.” He called, kneeling down to settle Sora up against the door.

“Riku?” The King called.

“He won’t wake up!” he yelled, trying not to panic.

Soon the King was at his side, raising his Keyblade to send a Cure spell at Sora but there was no change. “What happened?”

“I don’t know…he reached out and I reached back, but he reached passed the door, grabbed my hand. The next thing I knew he was collapsing and the door shut behind him.”

“That means the door is only sealed from this side!” Okay, so obviously that wasn’t good from the King’s tone.

He didn’t really care at the moment, he cared about Sora being unconscious. He gently brushed wild spikes back from his face. “Sora please wake up.”

“He may simply be exhausted, who knows how long he was fighting non-stop for,” the King offered.

Riku nodded, hoping he was right. He stood and then carefully lifted Sora up, he was way too light. “So how do we find a way out?” he had been accepting of being locked away forever, but there was no way he was letting that happen to Sora.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Donald and Goofy stared at the now closed Door in horrified shock. Sora! They saw the glow through it and knew the King had sealed that side. Without Sora though there was no way to Seal their side, would it remain shut? To their relief, the Door faded until it was barely noticeable at all, revealing a winding path behind it, they assumed their way forward.

“Sora?” a familiar voice called and they looked to see Kairi standing on a growing patch of sand. “What’s happening?” she asked and they rushed over to reassure her. They wouldn’t tell her where Sora was, not when the King had assured them all that there would always be a Door back, they would trust him to get both teens out. Surely the three of them together could do anything.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi stood on the beach, watching the ‘shooting stars’, relieved that the Worlds had been restored. She knew Donald and Goofy had been holding something back and it had to be about Sora. He had to be okay. And what about Riku? If they were together then she wouldn’t have to worry, they would look after each other.

There was nothing she could do, was there?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

It was impossible to tell time in the Realm of Darkness, but Mickey was becoming worried for his fellow Keyblade wielder as Sora remained still in Riku’s arms. He hadn’t twitched or made any noise, anything, since he had passed out at the Door. The sooner they found a way out, the better. Sora needed more medical care then they could give, the sooner the better. Mickey didn’t think it was exposure to the Darkness on Keyblade holder as he was fine and he’d had a lot more exposure.

He was also worried about Donald and Goofy, they no longer had a Keyblade with them to defend them from the Heartless. They were very vulnerable and who knew where they’d end up. Would the Worlds be restored with the Door only partially Sealed? Or would they be trapped where they had been?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Donald and Goofy walked down the winding dirt road on an unknown world, just glad to be out of the dark and bale to see, not that there was much of a view.

“Well, now what do we do?” Donald groaned.

“We’ve gotta find Sora, Riku, and King Mickey,” Goofy answered without even having to think about it. “But, uh, where do we start lookin’ for that there door to the light?”

They stopped and sighed, still exhausted from all of the fighting. Goofy heads something

up ahead and looked up, seeing Pluto walk in ahead of them, wagging his tail. He tapped Donald’s shoulder and he looked up too.

“Pluto?”

Pluto looked over at them, tail wagging harder.

“Hey, Pluto. Where have you been?” Goofy asked as they spotted the envelope in the dogs mouth.

“Hey!” Donald pointed excitedly.

“Gawrsh, that’s the king’s seal!”

“Have you seen King Mickey?” Donald demanded, reaching for the envelope but Pluto started running forward down the road. They raced after Pluto, Donald keeping his hat from flying off, and laughing together as the road wound ahead of them.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku walked with Sora cradled against his chest, his head resting on his shoulder, relieved to feel every puff of air against his throat because it was proof he was still alive. He didn’t know how long he’d been walking, the King at his side, but he wasn’t tired yet so he kept going.

“Tell me how you first met Sora?” The King asked, and Riku glanced down to see him smiling at them. “What other way is there to pass the time?”

Riku chuckled but nodded. Why not? He shifted his grip slightly and began to talk.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

A young man slowly got to his feet, staring around dully.

A figure in a black cloak emergec from a Corridor of Darkness and walked toward him, studying him. “You seek answers,” he said, but there was no response. He waved his arm between the two of them and the word 'SORA' appeared in the air, the letters shiny, silver, and hovering. “I can give you purpose,” he promised, but the boy just stared. He had never seen a Nobody like him before, as if he were a blank slate.

The man waved his arm again and the letters swirled around the boy, gaining momentum until they were barely visible as letters. The man slammed his fist into them and four points of golden light shot out, forcing the boy to flinch.

He opened his eyes and saw a new golden letter X hovering before him. The silver letters re-joined with the X in their centre forming a new word, turning fully golden...

“Roxas,” the boy murmured emotionlessly, at least he could still read.

Xemnas smirked, perfect. “That is right, the new you.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku dove to the side, keeping Sora tucked against his own body, the King moving to defend them. A mass of Shadows spiralled around them and Riku swallowed hard. He went to call Soul Eater but hesitated, glancing down at Sora who for the first time moved, his fingers twitching, he picked a great time to start waking up.

“I think he’s waking up!” he called, reaching for magic, wincing when dark fire lashed out to clear some space around them.

“We could use the help,” Mickey called back to him. He was practically flying around them, protecting them, and Riku knew he couldn’t keep it up forever.

He carefully lowered Sora to the ground, brushing a hand through his hair even as Sora’s head twitched slightly into his touch. “I’ll keep you safe,” he promised before standing and calling Soul Eater to him. He would not let the Heartless take Sora.

_TBC…_


	3. ch3

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 3**

“Riku!” Mickey shouted, seeing the mass of Heartless heading straight for the two teenagers. Riku was good, a natural at fighting, the blade he wielded was powerful too, but it wasn’t a true Keyblade. He tried to fight his way to them but before he could, the swarm slammed into them, the last he saw of them was Riku throwing himself over the still unconscious Sora, holding him tight, wide cyan eyes meeting his briefly. When the swarm was gone so were they.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The Castle That Never Was loomed over the Dark City in the World That Never Was. Roxas woke in his stale white room and walked to The Grey Area. Larxene and Xigbar lounged on white chairs, glancing up when he walked in but otherwise ignoring him while Axel and Saïx stood near the large window.

“Hey, Roxas. Welcome to the program, as they say,” Xigbar called out after a minute, and Roxas looked at him blankly before walking towards Axel.

“Heya, Roxas,” Axel greeted but Roxas remained silent. “Something I can help you with there, chatterbox?” he pushed, but Roxas remained silent and Axel crossed his arms, thinking. “Ah, I remember now. We were supposed to convene in the Round Room today. Blegh, meetings...”

Roxas tilted his head slightly. “Round...Room...?”

“Yup. Apparently the boss man's got some big news. Wanna head over there now?”

“Okay.”

“Alrighty then. Follow me.”

“Today's is an important meeting. I expect everyone to be on time,” Saïx warned the rest.

Roxas went to the indicated seat and sat silently, he didn’t know who they were or what they wanted with him. He couldn’t really process anything, clinging to the name and number he’d been given, doing what he was told to.

“Good tidings, friends. Today is a momentous day. I am pleased to announce that a new comrade has been chosen to wear the coat.”

A small, cloaked, figure walked into the room and stood in the centre with its hood up.

“Number XIV. Let us all welcome one of the Keyblade's chosen.”

Roxas blinked, vaguely remembering when he was brought before them. Keyblade…that was important, wasn’t it?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku clung to Sora, hearing him moan softly, even as they were tossed about by the massive swarm of Heartless. It was a strain to keep his grip, they were trying to tear them apart, but he refused to let go, he couldn’t lose Sora! “Sora wake up, please!” he yelled, barely able to hear himself.

To his shock, he felt a hand curl loosely in his shirt over his heart, Sora’s eyelids fluttering. Riku curled tighter around him and then they were falling into darkness….falling…

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé sat at her table, drawing. The white room was all she knew, they didn’t let her leave. All she had was her drawing and now…new people were coming and she drew them. She didn’t know who they were, but there should be someone else with them…Sora.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Donald opened the door and looked inside the Castle. The two then cautiously entered, looking around.

“Hey, ya think it's OK to barge in?”

“But we gotta do it, if we're gonna find the king...”

“The king?!” Goofy was surprised and looked around the room. “King Mickey's here?”

“Something just told me he'd be here, OK?” Donald grumbled.

“Really? 'Cause now that ya mention it, I was kinda thinkin' the same thing. One look at this castle, and I just knew: Our very best friends, they're here,” Goofy agreed in excitement.

Jiminy Cricket jumped out of Goofy's jacket. “Wait, hey, hold on! It can't be just a coincidence!”

“Oh, no, Jiminy. Ya don't mean that…"

“Yep, I had it too, mm-hmm! I had the exact same feeling.”

“Gawrsh, maybe it's contagious.”

“No, no. Something's screwy. We gotta go take a look.”

“All right.” Goofy started walking toward the door at the end of the hall.

Donald waved his staff at him. “Wak! Where are you going?!”

“That way. To the door,” Goofy pointed. “Are ya scared?”

“Aw, don't be ridiculous! Come on, let's go, Goofy!”

Hey, wait, shouldn't we shut the door behind us before we go?” he turned around. “Donald!” he called in alarm as a hooded man appeared in front of the entrance and the doors closed.

“That's it! Who are you?” Donald demanded, both of them preparing for battle as the man walked towards them. “Wak! Heartless! Oh yeah? I'll try some magic! THUNDER!” he called but nothing happened. “Come on. THUNDER! THUNDER!! Come on... Blizzard? FIRE!” Nothing happened as the man reached them. “Why isn't it working?”

“I should think it's obvious. The moment you set foot in this castle, you forgot every spell and every ability you ever knew. In this place, to find is to lose, and to lose is to find. That is the way in Castle Oblivion.”

“Castle Oblivion?” Goofy asked in confusion.

“Where is the Keyblade Master?” the man demanded.

“Like we’d tell you!” Donald answered angrily.

“Very well then, your memories will hold the answer.” He disappeared in an aura of darkness, and reappeared behind them. “Here you will meet people that you have known in the past. And you will meet people you miss.”

“We miss? The King! You mean the King’s here?!”

“If what you want...is to find him...”

The man held out his hand, gusts of wind and flower petals appeared, blasting towards them. The man then became transparent and flew through Goofy. He reappeared at the doorway at the end of the hall and they ran towards him.

“What'd you do?!” Donald demanded.

“I merely sampled your memories. And from them, I made this.” The man held out a card in his hand. “To reunite with those you hold dear….” He tossed the card to Goofy.

“What's this, a card?”

“It is a promise for the reunion you seek. Hold the card to open the door. And beyond it, a new world. Proceed. To lose and claim anew, or to claim anew only to lose...” he disappeared, this time seemingly for good.

“What should we do Donald?”

“We’ve got no choice, we have to go forward.” Donald walked up to the door and held up the card to open it before walking through.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Marluxia watched the King’s men as they entered the first room. Sora should be with them, they needed the boy and his Keyblade for their plans. With Naminé’s power over memory and the Replica program they could have the perfect puppet. Of course, for it to work, they needed the boy.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas walked into the Grey Area and was greeted by Saïx. “Roxas, your work begins today. I will issue missions, which the Organization expects you to carry out,” he explained, and Roxas just waited silently. “Think of these early missions as exercises. You still have much to learn before we put you to a real test.” When Roxas remained silent, Saïx looked over to Axel, leaning against the window. “Axel will be joining you your first time out. Isn't that right, Axel?”

Axel stood up. “Oh boy... What, are you making me the kid's mentor now?” he walked over and Saïx turned to leave. “Surely you don't mind showing Roxas here the ropes? Roxas, come see me when you're ready to go.” He walked away.

“Well, you heard the man. Starting today, I'm your babysitter,” Axel smirked at him. “Sheesh... Quit acting like a zombie, and let's get this show on the road.”

Roxas walked over to Saïx, standing in front of him as silent as ever.

“Are you ready to go?”

“Okay,” he finally spoke as Axel walked over.

“Teach him well, Axel.”

“Don't worry. I'll be sure he makes the grade. C'mon, Roxas,” Axel clapped him on the shoulder, and Roxas stared at Number XIV. “Hey, what's wrong? You worried about the new kid? What was that name again...”

“Number XIV, Xion,” Saïx answered before walking away.

“Right. I knew that,” Axel shrugged.

“Xion,” Roxas parroted.

“Got it memorized, Roxas?” Axel smirked.

“...Yeah.”

“You sure? How 'bout my name, then?”

“It's…Axel.”

“And our boss's name?” Axel asked as they walked away.

“Xemnas.”

“Very good, Roxas! No way you're gonna forget his name, right? Now, let's get moving.”

A Corridor of Darkness opened in front of them and Axel walked inside, Roxas following him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

They arrived in Twilight Town, in the Underground Passage, and Axel took a quick look around for any immediate threats but there was nothing.

“All right, let's start by talking about what we do on missions. Ahem. Missions are...uhh... They're, you know... Hrm.”

Roxas looked down and Axel scratched his head, he was no good at explaining.

“You know what? Talking is dumb. Let's just go ahead and get our hands dirty, shall we? Follow me.” Axel walked up the stairs into an archway, checking to see that Roxas followed after him. They ran into a small group of Heartless and he hung back to let the kid deal with them. “There ya go. Good job.”

“Thanks.”

“But don't go thinking you can just run and jump your way through every mission. You've gotta BE AWARE,” he warned.

“What...what do you mean?” Roxas actually looked confused and he was talking which was a big improvement from before.

“You hafta look around. Sometimes what you're after is sitting right under your nose. Got it memorized?”

“Y...yeah, I think so.”

“All right, then, time for a road test. There's a treasure chest somewhere in these passages. I want you to find it,” he explained, deciding to see how much more he was taking in now.

“That's all I have to do?”

“I know, don't hurt yourself. Anyway, remember to look around.” Axel watched as Roxas searched around the Underground Passage until he eventually found a chest near exit #5.

“Is this the chest?” Roxas asked.

“Sure is! Well done,” he praised, it had taken him a while though. “Um, what are you waiting for?”

“The mission was to find the chest. Aren't I done?”

“Uh, Roxas... There's this thing about chests. They have stuff in them,” shouldn’t that be obvious?

“So I should open the chest?”

“Yes, that is generally what we do.” It was like talking to a…a what? Child? Idiot? But finally the boy opened the chest. “Good work! You can keep what you found. All right, time to RTC.”

“RTC?” Roxas tilted his head.

“Return To the Castle. Go ahead, lead the way back to the dark corridor that brought us here.”

Roxas nodded and they made their way back through the Underground Passage. Once they reached the dark corridor, Axel applauded.

“Bravo. So whaddya think? Got the hang of this mission business?”

“Uh-huh,” Roxas mumbled.

“I'm sorry, speak up? Cooouldn't quite catch that,” Axel smirked.

“I said...”

“Hmm?”

Roxas turned to look at him. “I could have done that blindfolded.”

“Ha ha!” Axel laughed. “I dunno if I want a blindfolded zombie on the loose. All right, smart aleck, you did good. And no successful mission is complete without a little icing on the cake. C'mon,” he started walking away.

“But...don't we have to RTC?”

Axel stopped and turned toward Roxas. “Later. Don't you remember our hangout?”

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Marluxia looked at the image Naminé was drawing and smirked. It appeared they would soon have access to not only the Keyblade bearer but the boy ‘Ansem’ had possessed as well. That could prove very, very, useful.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas sat, legs over the edge, waiting for Axel.

“Here ya go. The icing on the cake,” he held out the ice cream, and Roxas took it, still silent. Axel took a bite of his own. “You remember what this ice cream is called?”

“Umm...”

“It's sea-salt ice cream. C'mon, I already told you once. Get it memorized, man.”

Roxas bit into the cold treat. “It's really salty...but sweet, too.”

“Ha ha. Roxas, you said the same exact thing the other day.”

“I did?” he asked, confused. “I don't remember that.”

“Hey, what has it been, a week since you showed up?” Axel asked him, and he shrugged.

“Maybe.”

“’Maybe’? C'mon, you must remember that much,” he pushed, and Roxas stayed silent because he didn’t know what to say. “Well, that's okay. Today's where it all really begins anyway.

“Yeah?” he asked as he ate the ice cream, it really was good.

“Sure! Here you are, out in the field, working for the Organization... Today, you're one of us.”

“I guess it's a start.” He still didn’t understand what the Organisation even was or what they wanted with him. Why didn’t he remember anything?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Darkness…never-ending darkness….no, a small light…a heart…he needed it, had to take it, consume it. Noise…touch…others! Take what was his! No!

He crouched, ready to defend his light, and then something swept over them, trying to drag it away and he grabbed on tight. Falling….falling…

,,,,,,,,,,

“Whoa, what are those?” Roxas stared at them.

Marluxia looked from the other Nobody to the Heartless. “Hmph. Nothing to be feared. So, Roxas, shall we put that power of yours to a little test? Use your Keyblade...and defeat those Heartless.”

It would be a good test indication of Sora’s power, that was why he had offered to oversee some of Roxas’ work while waiting for the two boys to arrive at Castle Oblivion. He did not need to monitor the two idiots of the King’s while they progressed through the place. The boy was good, even without any of Sora’s memories. The current theory was that his lack of memory was due to how short a time Sora spent as a Heartless, but Marluxia wasn’t so sure that was correct.

“Good. Those Heartless are called Neoshadows.”

“But what are Heartless?”

“Dark creatures who roam about, searching for hearts. They come in two larger varieties. The ones you just defeated are known as Purebloods. Purebloods don't release any hearts when you defeat them. In other words, don't bother with them. Your mission is to collect hearts, after all. The other variety,” he pointed to where several Yellow Opera Heartless had appeared, “Hmph... Is right over there. Forget about the Shadows. Take these out, Roxas. They are your real targets.”

Once again the boy defeated them easily.

“Those were what we call Emblem Heartless,” he would have preferred not having to explain but he had to do the job so as not to raise suspicion.

“Why are they so special?”

“Did you notice? Hearts appeared when you defeated them.”

“Right...”

“Your job is to collect those hearts.”

“Is there any trick to it?”

“None. So long as the Heartless are felled by your weapon, the Keyblade, the hearts will be captured.”

“I see. And what happens to the hearts I collect?”

“They will gather as one, and create an almighty force known as Kingdom Hearts.” He continued to explain as they worked. He did wonder, what would happen when Sora and Roxas clashed? Surely the original would defeat their Nobody?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Mickey stared at the door before him before throwing himself through it and back into the Realm of Light, utterly relieved to be out of there. He prayed the boys were out as well, his heart told him they were but he couldn’t be positive. Despite wanting to return home to Minnie, he couldn’t, not yet. He had to find not only the boys but Donald and Goofy too.

,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas sat on his bed, staring out at the empty black sky. Every day was the same, mission after mission, often with a different Organisation member. It was getting easier to remember things but there was still nothing before that man…Xemnas. Why couldn’t he remember?

Who was he? Where did he come from? Did he have…a family? He saw families in Twilight Town and sometimes when on a mission. He’d finally found out from Xigbar that they were Nobodies, which meant for him to exist, his human self had become a Heartless, leaving him behind. The others remembered their human lives so why didn’t he? Why was he different?

Vexen had told him there were many worlds out there and he wondered which one he had come from. Lexaeus had said that when Kingdom Hearts was complete they would gain hearts of their own, but would that make him a different person to who he had been before? He wanted to be who he had been, to remember who that was, unless…he had been a bad person?

Then there was Xion, he had never seen them without their hood and…they acted kind of like how Axel said he had at first.

“Daydreaming kid?”

He turned to see Axel lounging in the doorway. “Thinking.”

“Well don’t think too hard. Anyway, just thought I’d let you know I won’t be goin’ on missions with you for a while.”

“Why not?” He liked working with Axel, they were friends…right?

“Been given an assignment at Castle Oblivion and I’m not sure how long it’ll take.”

“What’s that?”

“The Organization's got a second castle situated in the world between worlds. It's called Castle Oblivion. Got it memorized?”

“Yeah. I wish people told me these things,” he grumbled and Axel laughed.

“Well, I gotta get ready. Fun, fun, fun... Anyway, you be careful and stay safe, okay?”

“Okay.”

,,,,,,,,,,

“Where am I...”

“Stay asleep.”

“Who's there?!” he tried to open his eyes but they were so heavy, he was so tired.

“You should remain asleep. Here, between light and dark.”

Yes, that sounded good…just sleep… “Between...what?” What had happened? He gasped, fighting to wake up, struggling to open his eyes. “Sora!” he jerked upright, floating in a realm of…greyness… Sora! He was floating utterly limp nearby and Riku struggled to get to him, reaching out, brushing against his pant leg. He grabbed it, pulling Sora in, holding him tight. “The king! Where's the king?! Together we closed the door to darkness. After that…” sora had fallen through, unconscious, and it looked like he still hadn’t woken.

“You came drifting here together. You did not have the strength to overcome the Darkness. Or...maybe you were close to it.”

“Hmph. As if I'm some kind of demon,” he snapped at the strange voice. Even if that was true, Sora did not deserve to be there.

“Hmm. Turn from the light. Shut your eyes. Here blanketed by the darkness, sleep is safety. Sleep is eternal. But...”

  
A bright light shone in front of him, and Riku closed his eyes until it faded. He blinked dazedly to see a strange card floating in front of him. “What's this?”

“It is a door to the truth. Take it and your sleep ends, as you take the first step toward the truth. But know this: the truth will bring you pain. Will you still go? There is no return to the security of sleep.”

Riku went to take it but then hesitated, looking down at Sora. “What about Sora?”

“He is incomplete,” the voice replied. “He may wake or may remain drifting in between.”

“This seemed like a boring place to take a nap anyway, even if Sora would like to sleep more,” he reached for the card.

“That was very well said, Riku.”

The card glowed, blinding him even as he clutched Sora closer, and when he was able to open his eyes again he found they were in a room with no colour, everything was white. He collapsed to the ground, Sora cradled against his chest, the card still in his hand.

Riku took a shaky breath and forced himself to take a closer look at their surroundings. The room was big, tall, with columns and decorative plaster or something around. Right ahead was a set of stairs leading up to a set of double doors. For the moment his ignored them, pocketing the card, before carefully laying Sora down on the ground. He didn’t look hurt which was good, he could have been hurt between Riku’s last clear memory and now. he was sure he’d shown some signs of waking before but he was lying so still.

“Sora? Come on lazy bones, it’s way past time to get up. Please,” he called desperately. He shook his shoulder, trying to get a reaction. Eventually he stood up, lifting Sora, he would carry him the whole way if he had to.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Axel watched the King’s men as they fumbled about the Castle, slowly losing their memories because of their connection to Sora. Naminé seemed sure Sora and Riku would be arriving as well which would be good. He wondered how Sora had gotten separated from the two idiots in the first place, there was no point in toying with them like there would be the boy. He could see what Marluxia’s plan was, wipe Sora’s memories and then use him to take over the Organisation. Not a bad plan but he doubted even the kid could take out Xemnas, even with backup.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi sat on the beach, staring at the Play Island sadly. Riku was gone…and she wasn’t sure if defeating Ansem would have saved him or not. And Sora…where was he? She just wanted them both home and safe. It was funny, but after everything, when she’d seen the drawing Sora had made, she hadn’t wanted to finish it. the Paopu fruit he’d drawn could be going to her or Riku, it was impossible to tell. Yes, she wanted their destinies to be linked forever, all three of them…but not the way she’d thought before the whole mess had started.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku carefully set Sora down against the wall of the hall, looking around warily. The trip through his memories of Hollow Bastion had not been fun and…he was glad Sora hadn’t seen it all, although he could have used the help against Maleficent’s dragon form. He didn’t want to believe her or the voice, he had cast the Darkness away, he had!

“Why do you shun the darkness?” the voice called out to him, and he froze.

“Hmph. Come on, I know you heard me, every word I said to Maleficent,” Riku snapped, moving back to Sora, ready to defend him.

“Darkness is your weapon. It is time you learned you must accept it.”

“What do you mean?” he demanded.

“Stop resisting. Accept the darkness. You have no choice...” a man appeared in the room through some kind of dark portal and Riku froze in horror, eyes wide. “If you are to serve me again!”

“I thought it was you...Ansem.” he buried his fear, he would not let him get to Sora!

“Oh. You don't seem surprised.” Ansem uncrossed his arms, staring at him, and Riku forced himself to face his greatest fear.

“All you have been talking about is the darkness. I can only assume you wanna pull me back in...so you can play puppet master.”

“Clever boy. I knew you'd be the one to most appropriately serve me. And now, surrender to me again.”

“You're crazy! Not a chance!” He snarled, summoning Soul Eater. He slashed at Ansem, who absorbed the attack with his hand and blew Riku back.

“Did you really think you could do me harm? A weakling like you couldn't even defeat Sora, and you had darkness on your side,” he sneered

Riku felt like just lying there but he turned his head to see Sora slumped against the wall still. He groaned and struggled to get up. “Excuse me...for being weak...”

“You are weak. You need darkness. Surrender. Bow to darkness. Bow to me. Or perhaps…Sora would be more compatible now,” Ansem smirked and began moving towards the unconscious boy.

“NO! You won’t touch him,” he snarled, scrambling up to get between them.

“Only the darkness can offer to you all of the strength that you will need,” Ansem told him and Riku found himself wavering. He had to be strong enough to defend Sora….

“You're wrong!” A new voice called, as a sphere of light floated down and hovered around Riku.

“That voice...!” he felt hope bloom. “Your Majesty?!”

“That's right! Remember Riku, you're not alone.” The sphere fused into Riku's chest. “Listen close. The light'll never give up on you. You'll always find it, even in the deepest darkness!”

“I got it,” he whispered, standing tall. “I won't lost to darkness. Not today.”

“You think that feeble little light can save you from the darkness that I command? You shall feel my dark powers in your bones!”

“Give me all you've got. I'll give it right back!” he yelled as the white hallway vanished and Riku was terrified to not see Sora anywhere, then again hopefully it meant he was safe from Ansem. Riku threw himself into the fight, determined to win. He went on the offensive immediately, refusing to give Ansem any space, and after what felt like forever, the white hall faded back into existence. “What, that all you got?” he was panting, but refusing to show his exhaustion.

“It seems to me that you are intent on resisting the darkness. All right. Then see it for yourself.” He held out a card, and Riku frowned.

“Huh?”

“This is a card crafted from your memory. Advance through the world it creates and soon, you will understand... Chasing after light is not the way. It will not give you distance from the darkness. There is no running from the darkness.”

“Don't worry, I'm not running. Give it. I'll enter the world and in the end, if I haven't given in to the darkness... Then I win.”

Ansem tossed the card to him and Riku caught it easily. “I have one more gift for you.” Ansem clenched his hand, and a dark sphere formed inside Riku, leaving him writhing in pain, struggling not to collapse.

“What'd you do?!” he demanded, clutching his chest.

“I simply tempered the darkness that yet remains in your heart.”

“You still think that I'd rely on darkness?”

“To use it or not is your choice. I'll be waiting, Riku...for you to sense it and yield to the darkness in your heart!”

Ansem vanished and Riku grunted in pain, closing his fist and, looked ahead.

He groaned and fell to one knee, panting. He practically crawled over to Sora, reaching out to him. “Sora,” he choked. What if Ansem was right? Would he try to hurt Sora again? Was being near him dangerous? What if Sora absorbed darkness from him?

“Ri…” the sound was so soft he nearly missed it but…

“Sora? Can you hear me? Open your eyes, please,” he begged.

To his utter relief, Sora’s eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks, he heard him! “R…” he coughed, and then ever so slowly unfocused blue eyes opened.

“I’m here,” he promised, reaching up to cup his face in one hand, his other holding firmly to Sora’s shoulder, hoping to ground him. “Stay with me, okay, you have to stay awake.”

Sora swallowed dryly and Riku dug through his pockets for a water bottle, pressing it to his lips so he could drink. “Ri…ku?” he slurred and Riku was scared but he couldn’t let Sora see it, he had to be strong for him.

“I’m here,” he said again. He leant in, pressing their foreheads together and then he felt a weak, shaky, hand tangle in his shirt.

“Whe…”

“Where are we?” he sighed. “I don’t know but we’re out of the Realm of Darkness and together. It’s going to be okay, I’m going to protect you.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé put down her pencil, they’d arrived. Sora and Riku were in the Castle. Sora was…oh no. She pressed a hand to her mouth, and then took a deep breath, fighting to not show how worried she was. Marluxia wanted Sora as a puppet, to fight for him, but that wouldn’t happen. Her magic would work on him, on all of them as far as she could tell, but Sora was weakening. The magic that had restored him to a human form was failing, making him weak. If it failed fully, he would become a true Heartless again.

She could maybe stabilise him, with help...the pods might work. The only way to truly heal him, would be for him to merge with his Nobody. The Organisation would not give up their Keyblade user to heal the one who would be their enemy. She needed to warn someone and she needed help.

_TBC…_


	4. ch4

_Disclaimer: not mine_

_So I’ve decided on SoraRiku. Not sure who to put Kairi with._

**Chapter 4**

Riku kept walking, Sora’s arm over his shoulders, Sora’s legs mostly dragging but every now and then he attempted to take a step, to help Riku. He was scared and worried with how out of it Sora was but at least he was no longer so deeply unconscious that he was unresponsive to everything.

“Ri…”

He only heard Sora because the smaller boys’ head was tipped onto his shoulder. “Yeah Sora?” if he could keep him talking then he would, hopefully it’d help wake him up more.

“K…Ka…”

“Kairi?” he asked, and he heard Sora hum softly in response.

“I don’t know Sora, you were with her before, weren’t you? If the worlds were restored then she should be back home, waiting for us. We just have to get out of this Castle and go home, okay?”

“K,” Sora agreed, at least he assumed so, and Riku smiled when he felt Sora shift slightly, rubbing his cheek against him.

“Something smells...funny... What's that scent? It's so familiar...” Riku murmured, before gasping as he realised it was coming…from both of them. “Darkness. It's the smell of darkness. I can't believe this is happening. The darkness even seeped into my skin...But Sora…” he looked down at him, how could he smell of Darkness too? Was it his fault, had Sora absorbed it from him? Or had it come from being in the Realm of Darkness?

“Don't worry, Riku,” a familiar voice called.

“Your Majesty!” he cried out in relief. Surely he would know what was going on.

A sphere of light floated down and it turned into King Mickey, but something was wrong, he was transparent. The King smiled at him and then looked at Sora, frowning in concern.

“What happened? I can see...right through you,” Riku held Sora closer, was it a trick?

“Funny, huh? I can only send a bit of my power to this place. That's why I've got a request for ya.”

“Request?” he shifted Sora’s weight a little and was relieved when Sora tried to actually stand, even though it didn’t really work.

“Listen, Riku. Just because Darkness holds you, don't let go of who you are. You've got to fight the Darkness inside you! It won't be easy to do, I know. But please don't forget. Even in the darkest Darkness, there's always a little bit of light.”

“Light within Darkness...” he glanced down at Sora whose head slipped forward, rolling, and he winced in sympathy, gently moving him so his head was supported again, smiling when dazed blue eyes blinked at him.

“You and I have seen it. The far welcoming light inside the Door to Darkness... The light of Kingdom Hearts - it will show you the way. Please don't give up, believe in the light. That's a request from my heart.”

“Okay... I'll do my best,” he agreed.

“Trust me. I'll try to find a way to reach you. I'll get there, I promise.” Mickey reached out his hand.

Riku tried to shake it, but his hand passed right through Mickey's hand. “You're an illusion...”

“Don't worry. We shook hands in our hearts, remember? We're connected, you and me.”

“Guess we are,” he managed a shaky smile. “Mickey…Sora, he’s…” he shrugged slightly, and Mickey frowned.

“Sora? Can ya hear me?” Mickey asked, and Sora mumbled but managed to lift his head a little to look at Mickey. “Oh my, I’ve never seen someone like this before. I’m sorry Riku.” And with that he vanished.

“Well, guess we’re on our own for now Sora.”

“N…t…a’ne,” he mumbled, and Riku smiled.

“You’re right, as long as we’re together, we’re never alone. Let’s keep going.” He approached the doors and held up the world card in his free hand.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He was so confused, everything felt weird. It was hard to focus on anything. The vague sound of a familiar voice kept him from falling back into total Darkness. Riku…it was Riku. He had to wake up…he had to.

,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas woke up and stared out the window, nothing had changed, so he got up and headed for the Grey Area. “Axel!” he called, looking around but he could only see Demyx and Xion.

Saïx then walked in and approached him. “Axel already left.” He walked to the window.

Roxas looked down at the stick in his hand. “But...this ice cream stick that says WINNER... I have to ask him what I won,” he whispered. Axel taught him things, he felt…lost without him there.

“Roxas, starting today you will be executing missions alongside Xion. Pay extra attention to the intel I've prepared for you in the mission briefs,” Saïx ordered him, not bothering to turn around. “Today marks your first time out on a mission together. We need you to eliminate a specific Heartless. Roxas, you are in charge.”

“Me?” he blinked, unsure. “Oh...okay.” Roxas looked over to Xion and then entered the dark corridor, Xion following. They arrived in the Sandlot of Twilight Town and he glanced around. “Let's go.” There was no answer but Xion followed him as he walked towards the underground tunnels. He was in charge? He barely knew anything, wasn’t that dangerous?

They found the Poison Plant and Roxas called his Keyblade, the two of them fighting together well which seemed strange. Finally, they watched as it faded away and he glanced at the other. Did Xion ever speak or remove their hood? They left the tunnels and returned to the Sandlot.

“I've got someplace to be. You go ahead and RTC without me,” he told Xion and they turned, entering the Dark Corridor.

Roxas headed for the ice cream seller and then climbed up to sit and watch the scene, eating the ice cream but it didn’t feel right.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“I take it you're Riku.”

The voice startled him since they’d been left alone for the last two levels but he carefully set Sora down, happy that his friend managed to keep his head mostly up, blinking dazedly towards the man who was waiting.

“Are you with Ansem?” Riku demanded, making sure he was between Sora and the stranger.

“You are half correct. Let us say that he is not the Ansem with which you are familiar. He is Ansem and he is not Ansem. Perhaps a "Nobody" best conveys the idea.”

“Riddles were never my thing. Try again,” he snapped.

“He belongs to neither the light nor the dark but walks the twilight between,” the man smirked as Riku gasped, before laughing at him. “Catching on now? Oh yes, you also stand in between the light and the darkness. It appears we have much in common. Although…I must admit, he is unexpected,” his gaze went to the defenceless Sora and Riku shifted his stance.

“Maybe... Like you said, there really is darkness left inside of me. But so what? Darkness is my enemy!” He summoned Soul Eater. “And so are you for reeking of that awful smell! You won’t touch Sora!”

“Oh ho! So it's a fight you want. Very good, I shall take you on!”

Riku jumped and slashed at the man, but he blocked it with his shield. Riku struck again, but was blocked.

The man laughed as Riku became frustrated. “I find, coursing through you, there is a Darkness of formidable power growing! Well worth the trouble of aggravating you. All this excitement has provided me with invaluable data.”

“What?!” he hesitated, backing away a bit. He gasped as he was struck by the shield, pushing him back towards Sora. He raised Soul Eater to block the incoming strike but it never landed, a weak burst of fire flying passed him to hit his opponent, making him stumble back. They both glanced at Sora who slumped down further, obviously further drained from the spell.

“Many thanks, Riku!” the man called almost cheerfully before vanishing.

“Tch... It was a trick all along,” he grimaced, but then moved to Sora’s side. “Hey, thanks for the save.

“Mmm.”

“You need to save your strength Sora, I can handle these creeps,” he promised, lifting Sora again, finding him limp again, so he got him onto his back to keep his hands free. “On to the next memory world then.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé watched Riku’s progress. She knew they would want to turn him against Sora, but he was Sora’s only defence at the moment. If Sora died…he was too weak to risk altering his memories too. What could she do to make it seem like she was doing what they wanted? Wait…Sora was too weak, barely coherent at all, there’d be no way for them to know she hadn’t changed his memories. She wouldn’t turn Riku against him but she would have to alter Riku’s memories and replace Kairi with herself. She had already begun affecting the King’s men because of their links to Sora. If only she could warn Riku about what was happening to Sora, to let him know she knew how to heal him…Kairi’s magic shouldn’t have weakened so fast but then it had never been meant to face up to the Realm of Darkness itself.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Huh?! What are you supposed to be?” Riku stared in shock at…himself?

“Surprised? I guess you should be. After all, I look just like you. I'll tell you what I am. I'm an exact replica of you that Vexen made from your data.”

Vexen…must be the man he’d fought before. “So you're a fake me,” he carefully set Sora down against the wall.

“Not a "fake"! I don't care if you're "real"! You're not better! We share the same body and the same talents. But there is one easy way to tell us apart, though!” he pointed at Riku. “Unlike you, I fear nothing.”

“Are you calling me a coward?” he asked in surprise.

“You're afraid of the dark! The Darkness inside you still frightens you, no matter what you say. But I'M different. I embrace the Darkness. I can make it do whatever I want.” With that he changed into Dark Mode, summoning what looked like Soul Eater. “So... I can wipe the floor with you!”

It was very odd to fight himself but he had no choice, ducking blasts of Darkness as they clashed over and over but in the end, it was the Replica that was down on one knee.

“Hey, Fake. I thought I heard you say you were gonna wipe the floor with me.”

“Hmph. Don't forget, I'm still new. I'll get stronger and stronger.” He got up and gathered the Darkness, Riku shifting his own stance to block whatever attack was used.

He intercepted the blast of Dark energy but it was stronger than he’d expected and he found his back impacting hard with the wall not far from Sora.

“What are you dragging this weakling around for anyway?” it sneered, and Riku struggled to get up.

“Don’t you touch him!” he yelled.

The other Riku laughed and raised his blade.

“Sora!” he scrambled up but he wasn’t going to make it! No, he would not watch Sora die!

He lunged as the blade fell, willing to use his own body to block it if necessary, but the blow was stopped, Sora’s Keyblade had materialised above the teen, just hovering there, but it blocked the blow.

The Replica’s eyes were wide as it stumbled back. “What?” then it gasped, turning to run.

“Sora?” Riku ignored it since it was leaving, crawling over to Sora even as the Keyblade faded away. He gently cupped Sora’s face in a hand, tipping it up. He bit his lip to keep from screaming as he saw one all yellow eye and one the normal blue. “Sora?” he whispered shakily.

“Riku…sa...fe…” his eyes rolled back and he passed out totally, Riku catching him as he pitched forward.

Riku didn’t know how long he just sat there, Sora cradled in his arms, his head buried in Sora’s hair as he cried. What was happening to Sora? He couldn’t fall to Darkness, he couldn’t! Eventually he forced himself to his feet and picked Sora up again, they had no choice but to keep going.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

“How can we help you, Vexen? It's not very often we see you topside,” Axel offered, leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, annoyed by his conversation with Larxene so actually happy for the interruption…well as happy as someone with no heart could be.

“I came to lend you a hand. You obviously believe this Sora has much potential, but I remain unconvinced considering he’s having to be carried around by Riku. I think an experiment would show which boy is of any value to us.”

“Hmph. Well, here we go again. It's just an excuse so you can carry out your little experiments. That's all,” Larxene sneered.

“I'm a scientist. Experiments are what I do, yes,” Vexen sounded like he was speaking to a particularly slow child and Axel hid a smirk.

He did have a point though, when they finally located Sora, he had been slumped against a wall, apparently unconscious. Somehow, he had appeared with Riku, did that mean he’d ended up in the Realm of Darkness too? Was that why he was in the condition he was? He was useless to everyone at the moment. “Whatever. You can do what you want. But you know, I think testing them is just a cover for testing your valet.”

“Valet?” Vexen glared at him. “He's the product of pure research.”

“What he actually is, is a toy,” Larxene actually rolled her eyes at him.

Okay, so the two of them were proving to the most entertainment he’d gotten since arriving. He would rather be on missions with Roxas. Hmm…was Sora’s condition linked to Roxas’ lack of memories? Could they somehow be influencing each other?

“Hmph. You should just learn to be quiet.”

“Anyway... Since you came all this way, you're gonna need this,” he stepped in before they could actually come to blows, holding out a card of Destiny Islands. “A humble gift to my elder. I hope you use it to put on a very good show for us.”

Vexen took the card and smiled as the Riku Replica walked in. Vexen looked at the Card, ignoring his creation for the moment.

“That card holds the memories of Sora and Riku's home.” And hadn’t that been fun to get without either boy noticing his presence. He’d actually gotten it while Vexen was taunting Riku, Sora hadn’t reacted to him at all as he copied his memories. Although…he wasn’t sure what the card held; if the kids memories had been messed up, or if he was just injured, or something else. He’s swiped it through Riku too right as Vexen had, only Vexen had noticed his actions, Riku had been too focused on the scientist to realise there was another shadow with his on the ground.

“It's just a card. What good is that?” the Replica sneered.

Larxene laughed, smirking at it. “With a little help from Naminé, you'll have all the real Riku's memories. Maybe we can get her to make you forget you're nothing but a fake. In other words, we'll remake your heart so you can be---exactly the same as the real Riku, 'kay?”

The Replica gasped, appearing horrified. Were the emotions real or just mimicked? “You want to remake my heart?! The real Riku is a wimp who's afraid of the Dark! What do I want with the heart of a loser?!” it demanded angrily.

She ignored it to turn to Vexen. “Any objections, Vexen? After all, you do want to test them, don't you?”

“It must be done,” he agreed.

“How can you? Are you betraying me?!” the Replica moved back away from them all.

“I told you I would make good use of you, didn't I?” Vexen shrugged.

“No…”

“Relax, kiddo. I don't think it's going to hurt that much!” Larxene held the card up, smiling at him.

“I'll hurt YOU!” It yelled, summoning the copy of Riku’s blade to attack but she knocked it away easily. The Replica was shrouded in electricity as it fell to the floor, Larxene laughing the whole time.

“Stupid little toy! Think you could defeat me? Where would you ever get a thought like that?” She sneered.

It was amazing to see fear on its face, even as it cowered from her. Vexen really had done excellent work with it. Although how it was going to test Sora, he had no idea. The kid had barely spoken a word since arriving, too weak to be a challenge to anyone.

“But,” she taunted, “look on the bright side. Along with everything else in your head, Naminé will erase the memory of me knocking you flat. Instead, she will implant the loveliest little memories you could ever hope for! It's no big deal if they're all lies.”

“No...”

Larxene started to walk over to it.

“NOOO!!!” It screamed.

Axel actually felt a flash of…sympathy? Poor thing.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku shivered, he had the feeling something very bad had happened, he just didn’t know what. He left Halloween Town, glad to be done with the place and set Sora down. He took out his water bottle and pressed it to Sora’s lips, trying to coax him into drinking some. They were island kids, they’d learnt how the dangers of dehydration. He wasn’t too worried about the lack of food yet, you could survive a lot longer without food than water after all.

Sora jerked and began coughing, so he yanked the bottle away, helping him lean forward a bit, patting his back to help dislodge what he’d inhaled. “Riku?”

“Sora?” he dropped the bottle and got Sora to straighten up, relieved to find both eyes were blue again and…a little more focused. “Hey,” he smiled shakily, and Sora’s brow crinkling a bit, like he wanted to frown. It was the most responsive he’d been since he’d passed out at the Door. “You with me?” he asked gently.

“Wh…what’s goin’ on?” he mumbled.

An understandable sentence! He had to be getting better, he had to. “It’s a long story. Here, you need to drink and then see if you can eat, okay? You’ve been really out of it for…well for a while.” He picked the bottle up and held it to Sora’s lips again, relieved that he drank the water. He grabbed some kind of snack bar thing made of nuts and fruit out of his pocket and broke off small pieces since Sora didn’t seem to have the energy to really chew.

He nearly fell over as suddenly Sora was in his arms, shaking arms wrapped around him. Riku closed his eyes and returned the hug. “It’s okay, I’ve got you,” he promised.

“Can’t…” he felt Sora shake his head slightly.

“Can’t what Sora? Just stay with me, please,” he begged, feeling Sora try to press impossibly closer.

“M’not real,” he mumbled.

“What?” he blinked in confusion. No way, he’d been with Sora the whole time, no way they’d snuck a fake Sora in.

“Kairi…tried fix me. Still Heart…less…”

Riku froze, trying to work out what Sora was saying. He could remember his body taunting Sora over Kairi, that Sora had her heart…trying to stab him with the Keyblade….then Kairi had been awake and Sora had been gone. What had happened when he was possessed?! “You’re here Sora, you’re real.”

“Not…Kairi’s light, holding back. Can’t feel… numb…”

“Shh,” he whispered, rocking them as he tried to work out what Sora was saying. “It doesn’t matter, you’re still you, whatever’s going on.”

Donald and Goofy would know surely, he just had to find them and ask. Sora was too out of it still to get a proper explanation from.

“We’re going to get out of here together, okay? Then when you’re better we can talk,” he promised. “Think you can walk?” he felt a slight shrug so he shifted around until they were standing.

Sora was still letting him take most of his weight, but he was definitely trying to walk now, managing dragging steps.

“That’s it, one step at a time.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Why so glum, Naminé? Is there something that's been troubling you? Are you feeling awful about tinkering with Sora's memory? Or maybe you,” Larxene taunted and Naminé looked away from her.

“Cut it out, Larxene,” a voice growled and Naminé wanted to cry in shame as the Replica of Riku entered the room. “Naminé, she doesn't want to remember Sora.”

“Is that so?” Larxene smirked.

“Don't worry. Whatever's hurting you, I'll make it go away,” he promised, tone so gentle as he spoke to her. He pulled out her good luck charm. “I swear it on this---the good luck charm you gave me. See ya.” He grinned at her, brushing a hand over her cheek, and then he was gone.

“That's just amazing. It's almost like you completely made his heart from scratch. Nice touch with the good luck charm. I didn't know you could use memories to transform objects like cards into keepsakes. You using the same trick on Sora, right? You’ve changed Kairi's good luck charm with your magic, haven't you?” Larxene giggled but Naminé remained silent, no, she hadn’t changed Sora’s but Larxene didn’t need to know that. “It won't be long before those boys forget about Kairi completely! And then they'll be all yours to,”

“They won't forget,” she cut her off.

“Huh?”

“No matter how much I change their memories, they will never forget Kairi. Memories of me…more false memories of me will just make their feelings for Kairi even stronger than before. Because...I'm the shadow of Kairi.”

“What's your problem with that? That should be your incentive not to screw anything up. Just do a good job rewriting their hearts. Then you can actually be somebody, and no longer just Kairi's shadow. You'll be real in their hearts.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“I've got someplace to be again today, so go on ahead without me,” Roxas called over his shoulder as he started to walk toward Station Heights.

“R...Roxas...”

“Huh?” he turned around in shock. “What did you say?”

Xion faced him, hood still up, but now he was pretty sure Xion was a girl from the sound of their voice. “Your name...it's...Roxas, isn't it?”

“Yeah, Xion. ...That's right,” he smiled slightly but nothing more was said so he left. He ended up on the clocktower alone, eating ice cream and thinking. “My name... Was that the first thing Xion's ever said?” he whispered, glancing down at the stick but there was nothing written on it. He still needed to ask Axel what the other one meant he’d won.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“That scent... You're another one of those Nobodies,” Riku carefully removed his arm from under Sora who slumped against the wall, head bowed, but he was at least still on his feet. He hadn’t spoken or done anything since trying to tell him something about being numb but he did seem to be able to follow what Riku said at least.

“You've done well thus far. But to possess your powers, and yet fear Darkness... What a waste,” the new opponent said, shaking a head topped in short red hair.

“I do not...fear it!” Riku snapped at him.

“I sense that you do. You're also capable of controlling the darkness. Cast away your useless fear. Open your heart. Embrace the Darkness.”

“And if I say no?”

“Then you lose both light and darkness and disappear!” he surrounded himself with a red and black aura, Riku struggling against the pressure released from the aura. “I, Lexaeus, will not yield to the frail heart of an infantile coward! Now, stop resisting and let the darkness in!”

At least this one introduced himself. Riku glared but dodged his blow, leaping over him to get to his unprotected back, but the man was fast for his size, blocking the blow. They fought without pause for what felt like forever, neither gaining the upper hand. Riku refused to give in, he had to stay strong, for Sora and…Naminé.

“You're finished!” he ran up to attack Lexaeus.

“Don't mock me!” He swiped Riku with his tomahawk, knocking him to the ceiling. He then fell back to the ground, winded. “You were too much trouble.” He walked towards Riku.

Riku could feel the Darkness in his heart gaining ground, struggling to hold it back, but then they were both shocked as Sora was there, his Keyblade slamming into Lexaeus, driving him back. Riku grimaced as he heard Sora snarl, that could not be good. He struggled to get up as Sora continued to attack. Sora suddenly leapt, moving so fast he vanished from Riku’s sight briefly, but then he was there, behind Lexaeus in a crouch. They Keyblade vanished and Sora collapsed.

Lexaeus froze but then dropped his weapon, Sora has slashed right through him. He began to fade away. “Forgive me, Zexion. This was a fight I should not have started.”

Riku barely heard him as he vanished fully, his focus not on the dying man but the boy crumpled behind him. “Sora!” He finally got up and rushed to Sora’s side, gently rolling him over to find him unconscious, again. Naminé was going to kill him for this. Sora was not doing well and he kept hurting himself further to save Riku either from the enemy of himself.

_TBC…_

_Sora tried to tell Riku what was going on with him at least. And he’s waking up more, but is that a good thing or a bad one?_


	5. ch5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s funny how far this has strayed from what I had originally written. That started in KH2 time and I thought, I’ll just add a little in the beforehand and now I have 5 chapters and still aren’t up to that. Oh well, that’s the joy of writing, things change.
> 
> Any suggestions for who to put Kairi with? The Replica would be weird I think and I kind of like him with Naminé. Roxas? Ven? Hayner? Someone around her age?
> 
> I finished Dream Drop!!! On the easiest setting sure, but I did it!!

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 5**

Kairi sat on the dock, her chin tucked down on her knees, arms around her legs. Where were they? Why hadn’t they come home yet? She could feel it…Sora was in danger… something was wrong. She hated being stuck at home, unable to contact anyone, to find out what was happening.

No one else remembered anything but a bad storm, they didn’t realise time had passed after it, so no one knew she’d been gone. People were beginning to talk like Sora and Riku were dead, lost at sea during the storm and she wished shew could tell their parents something, anything, without sounding mad.

Why hadn’t things gone back how they should be?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku kept walking, Sora dead weight on his back. He hated seeing Sora so helpless and he was terrified that something was seriously wrong with him, couldn’t get the image of him with one yellow eye out of his head…a yellow eye like a Heartless.

He was tired, his body aching from fighting and carrying Sora, but he wouldn’t leave him behind. His heart was aching from struggling to hold back the Darkness within. He just had to keep going, he had to get them both out and home safely, back to Naminé. Just one foot in front of another… Darkness hovered at the edges of his vision and he slowly sank to his knees, wavering, before collapsing forward, Darkness rising in whisps from his body, Sora lying limp on top of him. Everything faded away into Darkness as his eyes slipped shut.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

She looked at the two unconscious boys, scoffing before grabbing the top one by the arm, dragging him with her into a Corridor. She dumped him in another hall, glancing towards the closed doors with a smirk before retreating.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“I see you now...clearly,” a voice called from the dark void, and Riku’s eyes slowly opened.

“Huh?” he looked around in confusion, feeling himself floating in the void. “Sora?!” he called in alarm. Where was he?

“Riku... I can see your heart...”

Riku’s eyes widened in terror. “No...it's not. Darkness this foul could only...only be…”

“That's it, remember me... Let me drift into your heart...” the voice urged and Riku’s hand moved up to clutch at his chest.

“Ansem!”

Ansem laughed at him as Riku tried to see something, anything, in the Darkness. “You called out my name. You have been thinking about me... You're afraid of the darkness I command. Good... The more you think of me, the closer my return draws. And when I have awoken, I will take hold...” he appeared in front of Riku who tried to move away. “Your heart will be mine!”

Ansem held out his hand and tried to grab Riku while Riku struggled to avoid him. There was a flash of light, and Mickey's sphere appeared.

“Riku, fight! Don't let him win!” the King’s voice called before the sphere vanished.

“Your Majesty!” he cried out, begging for help.

Mickey appeared, his body mostly see-through, be he guarded Riku with spread arms.

“You meddlesome king!” Ansem snarled angrily.

Riku gasped, eyes snapping open, even as he tried to calm down. He pushed up on his hands and knees and then froze before scrambling up and looking around. “Sora? Sora where are you?” he yelled, but there was no sign of the other teen anywhere in the hallway. “No…” He’d failed him….he’d failed to protect Sora. His hands balled into fists, no, he would not let them hurt Sora! He had to find him. He ran down the hall to the next room, determined to get through them.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He stared at the boy in front of him and sneered, summoning his weapon. “Naminé doesn’t want you Sora, I don’t want you.” He drew it back, ready to kill the unmoving form.

Blue eyes slowly opened, staring up at him, dazed. “Ri…ku?”

He hesitated, blade poised to strike. He should do it! They didn’t need Sora! He grit his teeth as a trembling hand lifted towards him, glassy eyes almost staring through him, and he found himself lowering Soul Eater. He sneered. “You’re not worth the effort.” He turned and walked away even as Sora’s eyes rolled back and he went limp again.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“How'd you find such a great place?” Xion asked as they sat on the clock tower.

Roxas handed Xion an ice cream bar as he sat down beside her. “Heeere ya go,” he told her as she took it. “Sea-salt ice cream,” he explained. He was giving it to her like Axel had given him his first one when he’d done well. Summoning a Keyblade was a good reason for the icing on the cake. “Well? Go on, try it.”

“Okay...” She took a bite and thought for a bit. “It's sweet. But kinda salty, too.”

“It's really good, right?” he grinned at her. “Me and Axel always meet up here for ice cream after work,” he explained before taking a bite of his own. “Sea-salt is Axel's favourite.” he missed Axel, things were different without him there.

“Sounds like it's yours, too!” Xion giggled, and he ducked his head.

“Heh, yeah. I don't remember it too well, but Axel said he took me here my very first day with the Organization. And then he bought me some ice cream again after my first mission. Said it was the "icing on the cake."

“A little something extra?” She asked, and he nodded.

“Exactly.”

“You guys must be close.” She drew one leg up, wrapping her free arm around her leg, resting her chin on her knee as she ate her ice cream.

“Axel's my first friend,” he told her.

“Your...friend? Roxas, do you think I could be a friend?”

Roxas paused to think before grinning at her. “When Axel gets back, let's ask him. Then all three of us can have ice cream together!”

“Okay!” She smiled at him.

They turned back to watching the sun set as they ate their ice creams.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku ran ever upwards through the basement levels, where was Sora? Had those black coated people taken him? They must have, but why? What did they want with them? It didn’t matter, he wouldn’t let them hurt Sora! He had to protect him. He’d caused Sora so much pain already…

He skidded to a halt as a new figure emerged in front of him. “Where’s Sora?!” he demanded, Soul Eater appearing in his hand.

“So, you want to see him? But...can you face him?” the man with hair even crazier than Sora’s asked, and Riku glared at him.

“What's that mean?”

“The world of darkness, and Ansem's shadow, still nest within your heart. Do you plan to face Sora like that? Are you not ashamed?”

Riku grimaced but stood tall. Sora didn’t care about that, he’d reached for him through the Door, and even barely aware had defended him when he’d faltered in his fights in the Castle. He would not hate him for the Darkness he still carried.

“Sora's fate is to battle the darkness. He must oppose anyone who hosts the dark, in other words, it's you. If you don't believe the words I say...” he tossed something, and Riku caught it, “then you had best see the truth with your own eyes.”

“This card! This is our…” he stared at the image of home.

“Yes, it is your home,” and with that he was gone.

Riku hesitated, staring at the image, before slowly raising it to the next door, letting the room form before entering the doors, wary. Everything looked exactly how he remembered and he sat on the Paopu tree, looking out to sea.

“I never thought I'd miss the island winds so much... Hmph. There was a time I couldn't wait to get off this rock. And now I'm acting all relieved,” he shook his head. He’d like to go back and smack some sense into his younger self. He knew not all of his actions then had been solely his own fault but still… he slid off the tree and began to walk.

“Is that...? Hey!” he ran towards their three friends but they didn’t react. “What's with you guys? I don't think I've ever seen the three of you so quiet,” he teased Selphie, Wakka, and Tidus but they didn’t respond, staring blankly at him. It was very creepy and he was getting more and more nervous. “What, is there something on my face?” he tried. “Guys?!” they suddenly vanished and he stared in shock.

He took a shaky breath and then turned, running back to the Paopu tree. He paused on the bridge and turned, noticing Naminé behind him.

“Naminé... Hey, Naminé. Are you…” but she vanished as well. “Ah... No!” what was going on?

“Surely you knew this would happen.”

Riku spun to face the blue haired man, ready for a fight.

“You've been to a number of worlds in your memory before this one. And in those worlds, you met only dark beings. That's all that's left in your heart: dark memories. Your memories of home are gone…each and every one.”

“That's a lie! I remember everyone from the islands! Tidus and Selphie and Wakka! Naminé and Sora, too! They're my...my...” he paused and looked down, “my closest friends...”

“And who threw away those friends? Maybe it's your own actions that you've forgotten. You destroyed your home!” he taunted Riku.

There was a flash of darkness, and the islands were suddenly reduced to a single landmass. Riku gasped and observed his surroundings in horror, guilt threatening to overtake him.

“This is...that night!”

“All of the islands you grew up on were sundered, scattered. Many hearts were forever lost to the darkness. Because of what YOU did!” he pointed, and Riku looked to see an image of himself standing on the edge of the island. “You hated being an islander, so you opened the door to darkness and destroyed the islands. It was YOU! You were pulled into the darkness then, and now you belong to the darkness.”

All Riku could do was clutch his heart and look ahead in horror. He didn’t want to see it! To relive it!

“You should look…look at what you truly are!”

The image of himself twisted and transformed…into a Darkside, and Riku stumbled back, shaking his head. “This...this can't be who I really am! No!” He launched himself at the Heartless, attacking wildly until it was defeated. He panted and looked around the island.

He felt a flash of relief as he spotted Sora looking out to the dark sea on the edge of the island. He was alright! He was awake and standing.

“Sora?! Sora!” he called, moving towards him. “Sora, it's me,” he didn’t want to startle him, not sure how aware he was.

Sora turned around and attacked Riku with his Keyblade. Riku jumped backward and

dodged the blow…a killing blow.

“What?!” He stared in horror at Sora who glared back, eyes focused and alert.

Sora jumped at Riku and tried to strike him, but Riku blocked the attack with Soul Eater, their blades clashing.

“Stop it, Sora! Don't you recognize me?” he pleaded, only blocking or dodging his attacks. They had to have done something to him! Some kind of illusion or something to make Sora see an enemy?

“Yeah, I recognize you,” Sora whispered almost sadly before his expression hardened. “I can see exactly what you've become!” Sora jumped back and fired a blast of light at Riku, knocking him on his back. “How can the light hurt you?” he demanded as Riku lay there, stunned and in pain. “Riku... Have you really become a creature of the dark?” the question was almost too quiet to hear, despair clear in Sora’s voice. “You're not Riku anymore... You're just a pawn of the darkness. So be it. It's time for you to face the light!”

Riku tried to respond, tried to get up, but it hurt! Hearing Sora say that…no Sora wouldn’t believe that, wouldn’t give up on him…would he? “You’re….not…Sora…” he whispered as the Sora look-alike held up his Keyblade and created a sphere, which engulfed everything in

light.

Riku floated in a white void. “Sora….” He whispered, he’d failed him. “I'm...fading... Fading away...into the light.”

“You won't fade.” Naminé appeared before him, smiling softly. “You can't fade. There's no power that can defeat you, not the light, not the dark. So don't run from the light…and don't fear the darkness. Because both will make you stronger,” she told him, and Riku frowned in confusion.

“Make me stronger? Darkness too?” But wasn’t Darkness wrong?

“Yes. Strength that's yours. The darkness inside your heart, it's vast and it's deep...but if you can truly stare into it and never try to look away, you won't be afraid of anything again,” she smiled at him and he looked down.

“All this time I've tried to push the darkness away…”

“You've got to just remember to be brave. Know that the darkness is there and don't give in. If you do that, you will gain strength, the kind that's unlike any other. You'll be able to escape the deepest darkness.”

“And I'll be able to see through the brightest light,” he finished, looking up to grin at her and she smiled wider.

“Follow the darkness. It'll show you the way to your friends.”

“Can I face them?”

“You don't want to?” She asked in concern.

“You know I do. Of course.”

She nodded and disappeared.

“And I will!” he whispered. That wasn’t Sora back then, he knew Sora, the viciousness in his attacks were not his friend! He would get out and find him, he would save Sora. “With my strength… My dark strength!” he yelled, reappearing on the Island in a dark shroud. “Darkness!” he commanded and his clothing change to that of the strange Dark suite he had worn back at Hollow Bastion. Soul Eater appeared in his hand and he slashed the air, slashing through ‘Sora’.

“Impossible!” Sora’s image vanished back into the blue haired male, falling to the ground. “How is it that you found me when you were there in the light?”

“You reek of darkness. Even the light can't block the smell. I guess I followed the darkness right to you.” Riku smirked, ready for another fight. Sora was still out there somewhere in the Castle, and he was going to find him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

In the hallway, Sora twitched, fingers moving, reaching for something. His eyes slowly fluttered open, searching. Riku….Riku needed him…. Moving slower than a snail, he began to move, pushing up onto his hands and knees to crawl, half dragging himself along. Riku…

,,,,,,,,,,,

“Riku!” they called, relieved to see the boy, if he was out, then the King and Sora must be too, and in the Castle.

Riku turned and sneered at them. “What do you want?”

“Gee Riku, we’re just glad to see ya made it out of the Realm of Darkness,” Goofy told him.

“Really? Sure you’re not worried about your precious Sora?”

“Riku…” Goofy glanced at Donald in concern, this was not the boy they had seen at the Door, who had helped them close it.

“Hmph. Spare the excuses. I bet that you had all but forgotten about me,” he turned his back on them.

“Riku, are you alright?”

“Just get lost, I don’t need you. Your precious Sora though…” He glanced back and smirked at them before taking off.

“Gawrsh….you don’t think…he hurt Sora, do ya?”

“Hmmm... Sure was strange. Almost like Ansem was back controlling Riku again,” Jiminy spoke up.

“But we got rid of Ansem for good,” Donald argued.

“Then I wonder what is wrong with Riku...”

“Hold on... The king! If he's with Riku, he might be in danger! You heard how he spoke about Sora…” Donald looked at them with wide eyes.

Riku wouldn’t have done anything to Sora…would he?

“Well, I know he said some awful things to us... But you gotta remember, we are in Castle Oblivion. Why, folks lose their memory here a little bit at a time. Riku's probably just forgotten that we aren’t the enemy. That's all.”

“So he just forgot?” Donald grumbled.

“My guess is that's so. But instead of being mad, we have to figure out a way to help Riku get his memory back. If we all work together, we’ll get through this! And if Riku remembers, then he’ll help us find the others, I’m sure of it!” Jiminy told them.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku stopped and then knelt down, picking up the thread, he knew that colour of red, Sora! He was heading the right way. He ran faster down the hall and then he saw the figure dragging themself across the floor. “Sora! He yelled, skidding to his knees beside him. “Sora?” he called, and Sora’s head slowly lifted.

“Riku?” his voice was barely audible but at least it was his full name.

“Yeah, I’m here. I’m sorry,” he carefully reached out to place his hand on his shoulder and Sora slumped towards him. He caught him and sat down, pulling him into his arms. “if I hadn’t passed out or whatever… I found you though,” he promised, as Sora curled into his arms.

“So….weak,” he mumbled.

“Does anything hurt?” he asked, a hand running over as much of Sora as he could reach, searching for injuries.

Sora’s head rolled against his other arm which he was using to support it, blue eyes struggling to remain focused, even as a trembling hand pressed to Sora’s chest, right over his heart.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku! It was Riku…he’d come back. But….he’d tried to hurt him? No…Riku wouldn’t…but…he had before? Sora heard himself whimper and then gentle fingers were running through his hair.

“It’s okay Sora, I’m going to look after you,” Riku’s voice called to him and he wanted to believe it, reaching for him, and then he was being moved, hugged.

“Do’t leave,” he managed to say, feeling Riku’s grip tighten.

“I will never leave you,” Riku promised and then he felt himself being lifted, his head resting on Riku’s shoulder as they began to move.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“If Sora disappears, that would mess up the Organization's plans,” Axel commented as they watched the image of the Replica almost killing the defenceless Sora.

“I trust that you know what you need to do.”

“Haven't a clue, really. Maybe you could spell it out for me,” Axel shrugged, bored.

“Vexen has clearly committed a treasonous act against the Organization. You must eliminate the traitor,” Marluxia ordered.

“No taking that back later,” Axel warned. “What good’s Sora the way he is now anyway?”

“Oh…I’m sure we can fix that once Naminé is done with her work.”

“Fine,” Axel nodded and vanished.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku frowned as they entered a new world…one that didn’t look familiar. Maybe…it was from Sora’s memories and not his. He glanced at his best friend who blinked at him, looking around. “You recognise this Sora?” he asked, and Sora’s brow furrowed. He shrugged slightly so Riku got moving, Sora doing his best to walk. A figure appeared and Riku tensed. “You again!”

“Why yes, me.” The man drew his Shied, and Riku set Sora down on a crate. “Does this place seem familiar Sora?” he asked.

“Leave him alone!” Riku called Soul Eater and lunged at him, the shield blocking his blow.

“Temper, temper now. The memory's wiles can be cruel. In its silence, we forget. In its obsession, it binds our hearts.”

“Cut the riddles!” Riku snarled.

“This place was created solely from another side of Sora’s memory. It is on the other side of his heart that the memory of this place exists. It is his heart that remembers.”

“Wrong,” Sora spoke, head up, staring at Riku’s opponent, and Riku was relieved by the strength it was taking him to do that.

“If you remain bound by the chain of memories and refuse to believe what is truly found inside your heart...then throw it away. You are not a Keyblade master, just a slave to twisted memories. Yes... Exactly like my Riku,” he smirked.

So, this was the one that had made the fake him they had run into before. A slave to twisted memories? What had they done to it?

“Your existence is worth nothing!” the blond moved and Riku blocked. “And how is your memory?” he taunted, and Riku shoved him back.

“Just fine, thanks.”

“Oh? Would Naminé agree?”

“Leave her out of this!” He shouted, not realising that was the exact response his enemy had wanted. Riku called on the Darkness again, his clothing changing, shocking the man and he went fully on the attack.

“Urrgh... You have such strength, even at the mercy of your memory…”

“What do you mean? My memory’s fine, it’s that fake one whose memory you messed with!”

“The Riku you speak of...has but one fate, to sink into the darkness, and you will share that fate, both of you!” he waved at where Sora was watching them. “If you continue to seek the girl, Naminé, the shackles will tighten, you'll lose your heart...and end up becoming Marluxia's pawn!

“Marluxia?” Riku asked in confusion, who was that? “What does Naminé have to do with…”

He was cut off as the blond was hit by a fiery chakram, Riku spinning to see a redhead man near Sora who was trying to get up.

“Yo, kids. Did I catch you at a bad time?”

“Axel, why...?” the blond demanded as he struggled to rise.

“I came to stop you from talking too much...by eliminating your existence,” the newcomer, Axel, smirked, spinning his weapons.

“No... Don't do it!”

“We are just Nobodies who have no one to be, yet we still "are." But now you can be nothing instead of just being a Nobody. You're off the hook.”

“No... Please don't!” the blond cowered, and Riku carefully moved away from the both, closer to Sora. “I don't want to…”

“Goodbye.” Axel snapped his fingers and the blond was engulfed in flames. He then faded away into darkness, Riku and Sora watching in horror.

“What…are…” Sora slumped a bit against Riku, but his eyes remained on Axel.

“Hm... Don't know. I wonder about that myself,” Axel shrugged and then vanished.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Rejoice, Naminé. The time is near for you to meet the heroes that you've been longing for,” Marluxia told her.

“I'm...glad,” she answered softly, crayon clutched in her hand.

“But I'm warning you. You'd better not do anything to betray Sora's feelings. Do you understand me, little one?” Larxene smirked, and she nodded.

“I understand.”

“All you need do is layer their memories, and bring their hearts closer to you, but focus on Sora the most. As a Keyblade bearer, he is the more useful, Riku is the backup.” With that they both vanished.

Naminé looked down at the drawing of Riku walking with Sora leaning heavily against him. “Sora...Riku… Even if you come for me, what then?”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“We’ve got to be getting closer,” Riku commented as he helped Sora settle against the white wall.

Was the whole place nothing but endless white? He got out a water bottle and held it while Sora drank before finishing it off himself. He got out some food and broke it into small enough pieces for Sora to eat.

“How are you doing?” he asked, and Sora lifted his head to look at him. Riku was thankful there’d been no more sign of yellow in Sora’s eyes but…now there was nothing, no emotion, they were flat, not the bright blue he knew. “Sora?”

“Mmmm….kay.”

“Want to try and sleep?” he offered but Sora shook his head slightly.

“You.”

“Me?”

“Sleep”

“You want me to sleep?” he asked, and Sora nodded again. Even in his condition, he was worrying more about Riku than himself, typical Sora. “Nah, I’m fine. Once we’re out of here we’ll find somewhere with nice comfy beds to sleep in for a while, okay?”

Sora nodded again. They sat there for a while longer before Riku helped him to his feet and they started off again.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

“You're all that they’ve got left. So then, if you don't stop this, no one will,” Axel commented, not bothering to look at her.

She gasped and he knew she was staring at him. “But I... It's too late.”

“You shouldn't give up just yet,” he told her, was he actually trying to give someone hope? Him? “Say, Naminé. Have you noticed? Marluxia doesn't seem to be around.”

“What are you...saying?” She asked warily, and he glanced at her, smirking.

“Just that there's no one here who would want to get in your way.” He looked away again, hearing her footfalls as she ran from the room. “Just make it count. Now THIS should be interesting. Try and make it enjoyable, kids. It's the least you can do for me, you know.” He laughed and then clutched his chest. “Hey, wait. I'm enjoying this. You guys ARE something else!”

Why did he let her go? The Superior wouldn’t like it but…Sora and Roxas were connected. If Sora’s condition was why Roxas had no memories…what would his losing them all do to his Nobody…to Axel’s friend? Naminé could fix Sora and Riku…and maybe Roxas would be less zombieish.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Riku!”

He looked up at the sound of his name, shocked to see Sora’s companions brandishing weapons at him! He tightened his grip on Sora, shifting so that if they attacked, he’d take the hit.

“Let Sora go!”

“What did you do to him?”

“Wait… what?” he stared at them in confusion, feeling Sora grip his jacket. He glanced down at him. “Hey, it’s okay, I’ve got you,” he soothed.

“What?” that was the duck…Donald? “But before…you said…”

“Before?” Riku looked at them, were they okay? “I haven’t seen you since the Door, when Sora fell through.”

“That’s impossible! We saw you a few floors ago!”

“Donald’s right.”

Riku shook his head. “It wasn’t me,” he swore, shifting his grip on Sora. “The people here, they did something, made a copy of me. We faced it too, ages back. Sora made it run off and we haven’t seen it since. I swear, it’s the truth. It wanted to…to kill Sora.”

,,,,,,,,

“Sora?” Goofy called, very worried. A second Riku…well, they’d probably seen weirder. But the way Riku was having to support Sora who hadn’t said a word….

“G’fy,” Sora slurred, head lifting a bit.

“What’s wrong with him?” Donald demanded, moving cautiously closer.

Riku stared at them, before guiding Sora to the wall and then gently lowering him so he was sitting with his back to it. “I don’t know. When he fell through the door he was unconscious….he’s been in and out since we got here. Sometimes he seems fully aware and other times not. He’s passed out a few times too. He tried to tell me something before but I didn’t get it. Something about Kairi trying to fix him and her light? He said he feels numb,” Riku explained even as he was gently running his fingers through Sora’s hair.

His behaviour was so different to the Riku they’d seen before….and much more like the boy from the door. This had to be the real Riku then. Goofy looked at Donald who looked confused too.

“Well…ta free Kairi’s heart, Sora stabbed himself with Ansem’s Keyblade. He….”

“He turned into a Heartless,” Donald finished for him. “Temporarily! He followed us but didn’t attack. Kairi knew it was him.”

“More Heartless attacked and she defended him. When she hugged him there was this explosion of light and then Sora was back.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

So, he’d guessed right about how Kairi had woken up. “Why do you have to be so reckless?” he whispered. Sora had been…he felt sick. But he was okay now, Kairi had fixed him, hadn’t she? Sora had said tried…Riku swallowed, no, that was impossible…but his eye had been the unblinking solid yellow of a Heartless. He looked at the duck. “Can you help him?”

He forced himself to move back and give the magician room.

“Riku?” a soft, familiar voice called, and he spun around.

“Naminé?”

_TBC…_


	6. ch6

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 6**

“Naminé?” Riku stated at her in surprise but he definitely knew her, and that made her feel horrible.

“Riku,” she smiled at him and then looked at Sora, he was in worse shape then she’d thought! She moved closer and then knelt down, gently touching his cheek, Sora pulling back.

“Easy Sora, it’s Naminé,” Riku soothed him, getting a confused look from the younger boy.

“No Riku, he’s right to react like that,” she admitted softly. “I won’t hurt you Sora, I want to help you. I know what Kairi did, how Merlin helped…and that it’s failing.”

“Who is Kairi?” Riku asked, looking confused, a hand pressing to his head. She knew his memories of her weren’t fully gone, but her place in his life had been taken.

“The girl you really care about... The one who was always with you... It's not me. It's her, Kairi,” she explained, unable to look Riku in the eye.

“But then who...who is she? If she's so special to me, then why can't I remember?” he demanded. “Kairi…there’s a girl called that back home but she’s never around us.”

“I went into your memories and…”

“Let ME explain this,” a familiar voice cut her off and she spun, eyes wide. Oh no.

“Plain and simple. Your memory is a train wreck because it’s not real. You’re not real! Just a copy made here. Carting around that weakling like he’s actually someone important and not the pathetic mess he is. You're not the one who's meant to protect Naminé. It's supposed to be me! But you and your messed-up memories are always in the way, fake!”

Naminé grabbed Riku’s arm. “It’s not true, you are the real Riku, he is the fake. They made me alter his memory so that he doesn’t remember that,” she quickly assured him.

Riku looked from her to the shocked Replica and then he felt a hand on his arm, looking down to find Sora staring at him. “Sora?”

“Real…you’e real,” he said, voice stronger she’d seen in the surveillance or through her powers.

Riku nodded at them and stood, calling Soul Eater, even as Donald and Goofy moved to protect her and Sora.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas lay on his bed, staring at the blank white ceiling. He…he missed Axel, when would he be back? What was taking so long? He was worried about him, but how was that possible? He didn’t have a heart, how could he actually feel anything? He’d been having…strange dreams the last few nights. Images of people he didn’t know, voices he didn’t recognise, but none of it was clear enough to really make anything out. It was confusing and he wanted to talk to Axel about it. Axel was he friend, he didn’t trust the others enough to ask them.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Fighting himself again was very strange and he realised the others fighting style had changed a little, but he also seemed more powerful. Riku was soon forced to use the Darkness as well, making the two of them appear identical. He cried out in pain as he was hit by a blast, skidding across the ground.

“Riku!” he heard Naminé scream.

He glanced over to see Goofy holding her back….and Sora stirring on the ground. No! Every time Sora fought it weakened him. Riku forced himself back to his feet, lunging at his Replica which laughed. Their blades locked and he sent a blast at it but it disengaged to dodge it. he hurt from the blast he took but he would not lose, not when it seemed to despise Sora and himself, loosing would probably mean death.

Riku’s glade cut into the Replica’s arm and it hissed in pain, the air around it darkening. He leapt back, raising his blade to protect himself as he cast a barrier…it wasn’t enough.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora stared at the fighting figures. Riku…he had to help Riku. He could feel the Darkness in one of them and ignored it, focusing on the other, the one whose core was Light even as Darkness wrapped around that Light, not smothering it but protecting it. That was his Riku.

He snarled in rage as the fake attacked, Riku slumping limp to the ground. NO!

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku blinked dazedly, hearing an angry snarl in the distance, had he blacked out?

“Looks like I win,” his own voice gloated and he forced himself to focus, seeing the fake approaching.

“Riku, stop!” Naminé cried out.

“You are through!” It raised its version of Soul Eater, preparing to strike, and Riku knew he was defenceless.

“I said STOP!” She screamed, and Riku watched the Replica jerk before it simply dropped to the ground, vacant eyes half open and staring at Riku.

He struggled to get up, creeped out by the blankness of the Replica’s face, and then hands were helping him up. Riku looked up and found Sora looking back at him, worry clear. “Sora,” he whispered.

“You’re hurt,” Sora answered, still looking a bit unfocused but it was best he’d been since they’d arrived.

“I’ve got him!” Donald called, and Riku relaxed as the healing spell did its work.

“What did you do to him?” Riku asked Naminé, looking at his Replica before looking away, disturbed.

“Broke his heart. I'd say more like she smashed it, really,” a blond woman taunted as she appeared, the black coat making it obvious she was another one of the ‘Nobodies’.

“Smashed...his heart?” he glanced at Naminé who looked away. She could do something like that?

The woman laughed and Riku felt Sora’s grip tighten some. “Oh, you're so much fun to watch. How sure are you that you’re the real Riku and not the fake?” she taunted.

“Riku’s real!” Sora snapped, leaning against him a bit still but definitely managing to mostly stand on his own.

“Is he? I know it'll kill you to hear this, but I think I can live with that. That boy lying there is the real Riku, the one you’re holding is just a puppet that Vexen made as an experiment. No more than a toy,” she taunted Sora before looking at Riku again. “It's laughable, really. You called him a fake, but YOU were the fabrication all along.”

“No! I am the real Riku.” If he could trust anyone to tell the difference, it would be Sora. He caught the uneasy looks Donald and Goofy were giving him and the downed Replica. He wasn’t the fake! He remembered closing the door, being with Sora the whole time. If he was fake then he’d be the one calling Sora weak, right?

“Fake in every possible way. It was only finished recently. How can it remember anything?” she was addressing the whole group now, trying to sow distrust.

She picked up the fake Riku. “You get it? His memories with Naminé were just planted, not real.” She threw it at the wall. “Yup. That means, all this time, he's been picking fights with you over memories that were counterfeit, trumped up, and completely bogus. Isn't that the truth, Naminé?” She smirked at Naminé. “Oh, so cute...but behind this little face, you do awful things.”

Naminé looked away, ashamed.

“Naminé...” Riku called.

“You're so stupid. Don't you get it now? That's what Naminé's powers are about! She can enter, rearrange, and even create new memories of anything, even things that never happened. The girl you've been trying to protect all this time is really a manipulative witch who shackles people's hearts!”

“Then...my memories...are all...” Riku stared in horror.

“Oh, you do get it! Lies, lies, all lies! Just Naminé's illusions, nothing more. Binding you all in the chains of your own memory was central to our trap. It makes me tingle to think how easily you were duped. So close to it, we were almost there. This was our only chance to turn the Keyblade master into our puppet,” she glanced at Sora and Riku reached for his hand, squeezing it, happy to feel Sora squeeze back, weak but stronger than before, “but… That jerk Axel, he used Naminé to betray us!” She summoned knives and smirked. “So now, I'm left with no choice but to eliminate you all!”

“You'll pay...” Riku snapped.

She went to approach but Naminé walked in between them, spreading her arms out to protect them. “Don't!”

“Huh? It's a little late for the witch to grow a conscience. Last time I checked…YOU'RE the one who fooled around with their memories creating this mess.”

“I know, but…”

“I should tell you that I'm in an EXTREMELY foul mood. Thanks to you, all our plans are ruined!” the blond knocked her away.

“Naminé!” Riku yelled, despite everything they’d said…he remembered Naminé and couldn’t help wanting to keep her safe.

“What's this? Are you upset?” She giggled. “And you don't even actually know her!

“Maybe not,” Riku snarled. “But still...I made...a promise.” Even with Donald healing him, he was exhausted from days of carrying Sora through the Castle with little rest. He’d been pretty much going non-stop since the Islands fell to Darkness. Yes, he’d slept at times, but he’d never felt truly rested.

“What?” she stared in shock.

Riku stepped away from Sora, Soul Eater appearing. “A promise I made to Naminé to keep her safe. Maybe my memories are fake. Maybe I am the fake. But the promise is real to me. That's why I'll keep it.”

“Hmph. You're such an idiot and I thought you were meant to be the smarter out of you two. There is no promise and there never was! You're just delusional. Must you insist on playing the hero? Whatever. If that's the way you want it... You're going down first!”

Goofy's shield suddenly flew into her stomach, causing her to double over with a gasp as the wind was knocked out of her. She staggered back as the two moved in to position beside Riku, ready to fight as well.

“Not if we can stop you!” Donald yelled, casting another cure spell on Riku to be safe.

“Okay... Have it your way. More pain for you means more fun for me!” She snarled, going on the offensive.

“Naminé keep Sora back!” Riku yelled as he blocked her knives, shoving her back in time for a blizzard spell to hit her.

She was good, and Riku wasn’t used to fighting with others, but it was three against one and they slowly wore her down.

“No... No!” she panted. “I refuse to lose to such a bunch of losers!” but it seemed she had as she was beginning to fade away. “I think I'm...I'm fading?! No, this isn't...the way I... I won't... ALLOW...” She faded away into Darkness.

Riku slumped, leaning on Soul Eater for a moment, taking the potion Goofy offered. He looked around to find Naminé supporting Sora who was watching him. He managed a smile for him, walking over and slipping an arm around his waist. “Hey, you okay?” he asked, and Sora lifted a hand to grip his vest.

“Hurt?” he asked, and Riku smirked.

“Me? No way,” he teased, Sora frowning at him. “I’m okay Sora.” He gently brushed some hair from Sora’s face, feeling Sora lean into his touch. “You’ve got to get better, please.”

“He won’t,” Naminé spoke up.

“Naminé, I know this probably won't be easy for ya...but could ya tell us what happened?” the voice nearly had Riku attacking but then the cricket emerged from Goofy’s jacket. He’d forgotten all about him, had thought maybe he’d stayed with Pinocchio.

“Of course,” she nodded. “But it’s not all mine to tell. Sora? I know what is happening to you, can I tell them?” she asked, and Sora hesitated before nodding slowly. “When Sora became a Heartless, he retained his memories and connection to Kairi, and you Riku, but his memories were beginning to fade towards the end. Kairi’s Light was able to alter his body to appear human…but at his core, he is still a Heartless. Merlin was able to help stabilise him but exposure to the Realm of Darkness and then this place has sped up the deterioration in the wall of Light inside of him that has kept the Heartless instincts and rage at bay. Sooner or later, the magic will fail, and Sora will be like every other Heartless.”

Riku felt the blood drain from his face even as he wrapped his arms around Sora, feeling him cling back. “No,” he choked. Not Sora, he couldn’t lose him to that. “There has to be something we can do.

“I think there is, but we have to get to the thirteenth floor. Once there we can place Sora in one of the pods, it won’t fix him but it will keep him stable. His memories haven’t been affected by my powers, with Sora so out of it I took the risk to disobey, and if I had, he would have weakened quicker. There is something needed to fix him and make him truly human again, his Nobody.”

“His Nobody?” Riku asked, moving to sit against the wall, Sora leaning against him. That was what the people in the Castle were, right?

She nodded. “If someone with a strong heart and will, evil or good, becomes a Heartless, then the empty shell they leave behind begins to act with a will of its own. I…I am a Nobody, made from Kairi’s heart and influenced by Sora. Sora’s Nobody has been taken into the Organisation and given the name Roxas. For Sora to become human, he must be found and reunited into one being.”

“And Riku’s memories?” Donald asked.

“I’ll fix them, it's my fault, after all. I was meant to take the people and memories that were inside Sora's heart...and little by little replace them with false memories. Instead, I overwrote Riku’s memories of Kairi. I was meant to make you turn on Sora, but I couldn’t, not when Sora has depended so much on you. That was why the Replica acted as he did though.” She glanced over at the still unmoving body.

“So my promise?” Riku asked.

“Made up, it was fake. You never really promised me anything. Me being with you on the islands, that was a lie, just like everything else. We never met. I was never your friend.”

“And you were never anything more either...” Riku whispered.

“No. You see, in all of your true memories, I was never really there.”

“Gee, then that must mean it was your magic that made the rest of us lose our memories, too. Is there any way for us to ever get 'em back?” Jiminy asked.

“I can fix everything if we go to the thirteenth floor, not just stabilise Sora. But Marluxia, he…”

“Bet I know who that is. Was he the fellah who made you tamper with all of our memories?”

“If I didn't obey, he said I'd be locked in this castle forever. I've been alone for so long...” she refused to look at any of them.

“So ya did what he told ya to do because you were lonely?” Goofy asked.

“I'm so sorry...”

“Don't be. Please don't cry...” Riku told her, and they all stared when Sora touched her hand.

“Oh... Of course. I know I really don't have the right to.”

“That's not what I meant!” Riku shook his head.

“What?”

“Look, I'm not happy about you messing with my memories. But... I can't really get mad at you for it, either. The memories you gave me… I know they're lies, but they still feel right. Seeing you cry hurts as much as seeing Sora cry would, so please…don’t.”

“Riku…” she stared at him with wide eyes.

“Well, then, let's go,” he said, feeling awkward.

“Oh boy! I can't wait to get my memory back!” Donald called.

“Naminé, Marluxia is gonna be up there, so maybe you'd better stay down here,” Goofy suggested.

“Yeah. Maybe you could look after Sora? We'll come get you when it's over. And…” Riku looked at the Replica. “Can you do something for him too?”

“Okay,” she agreed.

“No,” Sora spoke, clutching at Riku’s arm. “Going…with you.”

“Sora no, it’s too dangerous,” Riku argued, but there was the stubborn look he knew so well.

Sora shook his head and began getting up.

“Sora, listen to Riku! If you fight…” Donald trailed off, unable to say it.

If Sora fought, the magic could fail and they would lose him. None of them wanted that but Sora weas refusing to stay behind so in the end, the four of them moved towards the stairs.

“Please be careful, Riku, Sora,” Naminé called and Riku looked back at her.

“We will.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Axel was surprised to see Sora on his own feet and actually fighting him alongside Riku. It was nice to know that Naminé had gone against orders, they weren’t Marluxia’s puppets, but they were still fighting him because he’d been willing to cut her down to kill Marluxia. Why couldn’t he ever get a break? He didn’t really want to fight the kids but he had to, didn’t he? In the end he faked fading away, but stuck around to keep an eye on things, if they couldn’t kill Marluxia then he’d have to finish the job.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“You've defeated Axel,” the pink haired man laughed, pink hair, seriously? “The Keyblade's power, how I've longed to make it my own.”

“Let Naminé go!” Riku demanded.

“You've no chance of winning. Naminé... Erase their memories!” he commanded.

“But if I do that...” she stared at them with wide eyes, terrified.

“That's right. Their hearts will be destroyed,” Marluxia gloated

“What? Destroy their hearts?” Goofy gasped.

“You can do that?” Donald asked shakily.

“I'd rather have preferred Sora especially unmarred, but he can be rebuilt more to my liking with time. Naminé, do it.”

“No. Riku forgave me even when I deceived him. So how could I destroy his heart? There's no way! I don't care what happens to me. I won't hurt them! I won't do it!”

“Then you will,” Marluxia started.

“Do it, Naminé!” Riku called. He was terrified, the idea of forgetting everything…of his heart being destroyed…but what other choice was there? She couldn’t die for him, not when she was needed to help Sora. But Sora… he glanced at him, happy that he was standing unaided, Keyblade in hand, face serious. Even if he forgot, he knew they would be okay because they were together. “I don't care! You can erase my memory,” he told her.

“Riku, why'd you say that?!” Goofy demanded.

“I won’t let her be hurt. Even if my memories are erased, we can still beat Marluxia because we’re together.” And wow he sounded like Sora, but he knew now that Sora had been right about those things. He wasn’t going to tell the enemy that she had promised to help Sora become human again.

“Riku…” Naminé stared at him.

“You bet! Even if Riku and Sora forget it all, Goofy and I won't forget!”

“Donald's right. He and I can remember everything for them!”

“You ignorant fools. If Naminé uses her powers to erase your memory, you'll be nothing but an empty shell. Your heart will no longer be able to feel or to care. Just like Vexen's pathetic imitation of Riku.”

“Take another guess.”

They all stared in surprise as the Riku Replica appeared out of a pool of darkness in the air and slashed at Marluxia, who jumped backward to dodge.

“It can't be!” Marluxia denied. “You're a shell, a shell who has had everything taken! Everything!”

“What can you possibly think I ever had? Both my body and my heart are fake. But...there is one memory I'll keep...even if it's just a lie! Whether it was a phantom promise or not... I will protect Naminé!” the Replica snarled.

“Imbeciles...” A flower petal fell from the air, turning into Marluxia's scythe in his hand. “You would knowingly shackle your heart with a chain of memories born of lies?”

In response, they both readied their weapons. Riku fought the urge to look at Sora, wondering if he had the strength for another fight.

“You would be one who has a heart, yet cast aside your heart's freedom?” Marluxia demanded in disbelief.

The Replica put his arm in front of Naminé, obviously ready to defend her, that took some of the pressure of them then which was good.

“You turn from the truth because your heart is weak, you will never defeat me!” he attacked and they moved, defending themselves before attacking together, as if they’d never been apart.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He would not let Riku be hurt! He had to defend him. The fight gave him something solid to focus on, the Keyblade burning in his hands. Stupid illusions but this one was real, he could feel it! he could feel the Light in him fading but he didn’t stop, even if it was the last thing he did, he would keep Riku safe.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku panted, watching Marluxia fade away….waiting for him to reappear but it seemed like this time he was really gone. He heard a clatter and turned to see the Keyblade bounce on the ground before vanishing. “Sora?” he called in alarm.

Sora jerked slightly, looking up, and Riku bit back a scream as he seemed to flicker. No…he reached out and Sora skittered back.

“Sora please, just hang on. It’s me, it’s Riku. I won’t hurt you,” he forced himself to speak gently, softly.

Sora cocked his head to the side, one eye yellow already. “R…Ri…”

“Yeah, it’s me. Please,” he reached out with his hand, and Sora shifted but then took a cautious step towards him. “That’s it, you’re okay,” he murmured. It was a relief when Sora took his hand and he tugged him in close, feeling him trembling. “I’ve got you,” he swore, even as Sora seemed to flicker again, something dark in his place for a split second. He didn’t hesitate, scooping him up and running for the door.

He shoved through them to find the others waiting. “Naminé!” he yelled, and they all stared as Sora flickered again.

“Quickly, this way!” she yelled, turning and running.

They entered a large room with some kind of pod in the centre, while smaller pods were along the wall. She pressed something and the main pod opened like a flower.

“Put Sora inside,” she told him.

Riku yelped as Sora began struggling, his form flickering more rapidly. “Sora stop! Please, we’re trying to help you.” He yelped as Sora shoved hard, both of them falling to the ground.

Sora rolled free and backed away in a crouch, both eyes now yellow. Donald and Goofy nervously called up their weapons but it was obvious nether wanted to fight Sora. Sora’s lips curled back over his teeth and he snarled at them.

“Sora please,” Riku begged, even as his Replica moved beside Naminé, ready to defend her if Sora attacked.

“We have to get him into the pod now,” she told them, her eyes wide as she stared at Sora.

Riku nodded and took a deep breath, as much as it hurt to consider, he had to get Sora. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, Sora looking at him, obviously hearing him but he didn’t seem to understand. He touched the Darkness and that definitely got Sora’s attention, seeming to perk up, and Riku hesitated.

“You were able to control Heartless once, can you still do it?” Goofy asked.

Riku shook his head, that would take more Darkness then was safe to use. He felt his clothing morph as he activated Dark Mode, like the Replica, and Sora focused fully on him. He was fully crouched now, unblinking yellow eyes locked on him. “That’s it Sora, I’m not going to hurt you.” He took a slow but steady step towards Sora, hiding all fear deep inside to keep Sora from picking up on it.

Sora stared at him, making a soft chittering noise. He shifted but didn’t move to attack as Riku approached, because he could sense Riku’s Darkness?

“Come on Sora, you know me, just hold on a few more minutes,” he murmured, reaching out a hand to him. Sora tensed at the move, a low snarl sounding. “Sora,” he said his name and the snarl tapered off, giving him hope that Sora could still understand something. “Please Sora.” He didn’t want to have to try and restrain him, to force him into the pod.

Sora stared at him, flickering again, for long enough that Riku recognised his Heartless form. He was shocked Sora had enough Darkness in him to become a Neoshadow. It was a relief when Sora shuffled forward a little and Riku’s hand settled in soft spikey hair.

“That’s it, come on,” he urged, hand slipping to his shoulder, tugging gently. Sora resisted for a moment, seeming to sniff at him, but then cautiously moved with him. Riku glanced up and the others moved so that there was nothing between Sora and the pod. Riku stepped up into the pod and Sora hesitated, eyeing it warily. Riku sat down and opened his arms. “Please Sora, come here.”

Sora stared at him but then leapt up nimbly, crawling into his arms. He hugged him close, pressing a kiss to his forehead, closing his eyes, feeling his form flicker again.

“You’re going to be okay,” Riku whispered, running his fingers through Sora’s hair, smiling slightly as it sounded like Sora was almost purring. He shifted out from under him and then jumped down, Sora scrambling up to follow, but the pod began to close. Riku swallowed at the noises of distress until the pod sealed, obviously soundproof.

Fluid began to flow in and Sora snarled, struggling but then he began to waver on his feet as the fluid reached his knees. They all watched as Sora’s head nodded forward before jerking up, the motion repeating a few times as the liquid continued to rise. His eyes fell shut, head dropping to his chin, body going limp, collapsing into the liquid. Soon the pod was full, and Sora floated limp inside, no longer flickering between human and Heartless appearance.

Riku stepped up and placed a hand against the cold, clear, surface even as he released Dark Mode, his normal clothing reappearing. He forced himself to step back and his eyes met those of his Replica. “Are you alright?” he asked, not sure what he felt about it…him, being back on his feet. 

“What do you care? I'm a fake. I can't remember why I was created or where or when... All that's inside of me is time with Sora and Naminé. But I know those memories are not real.”

“Gee, Naminé, can't you use your magic to put his memory back to normal?” Goofy asked.

“Well, I…”

“It's all right. I'll deal,” he shrugged and turned to leave.

“Wait!” Riku caused and the Replica hesitated before looking back at him, eyes wary. “Who cares if someone created you? You have your own heart inside you. Those feelings and memories are yours and yours alone.”

Cyan eyes went wide before the Replica smirked slightly. “You sound like him,” he waved at the pod. “You can’t really want a copy around with your memories.” 

“It’s weird, yeah, but you didn’t ask to me made or to have your memories messed with. You have as much right to live as I do. And if Naminé can fix my memories, then we won’t have the same ones. You don’t have to leave.”

“My whole existence is fake, if I stay…I’ll always be your Replica. Take care of them.” With that he was gone, and Riku sighed.

“Can you put our memories back?” Donald asked Naminé.

“Yes. Not remembering something doesn't really mean that it's gone,” she assured them.

“What d'ya mean?”

“When you remember one thing, that leads to remembering another, and then another and then another. Our memories are connected. Many pieces are linked together like they're in a chain that makes up each of us. I don't actually erase any memories, just take apart the links and rearrange them. You still have all your memories.”

Jiminy popped out, looking relieved. “So you can put 'em back together?”

“Yes, but first, I have to undo the chains of the memories I made on my own. After I've done that, I have to gather up the memories scattered across each of your hearts and then reconnect them. It might take some time. But I think it might work. No, it will work. I'm sure. It's my turn to look after you,” she smiled softly.

“All right. I trust you,” Riku told her, glancing back at where Sora was sleeping.

“Oh... Wait a second! You said you had to undo the links of the memories you made. But that means…” Jiminy stared at her, and she nodded.

“Yes. You won't be able to remember anything about what happened here.”

“Not even you? Or…” Riku waved at the pod where Sora slept.

“I'm sorry. It's the only way, I'm afraid. Riku, you have a choice. You can lose your memories of this castle and reclaim your old ones...or keep your memories here and give up the memories that you've lost or had changed. You haven’t lost much but there are a lot of changes for me to replace Kairi.”

“And I’ll forget what happened to Sora too?” he asked in alarm. “How will I help him?”

“Yes, you will. Once you’re awake then you can help find Roxas to heal Sora.”

Riku stared at the pod, if he kept the altered memories, he could begin trying to help Sora immediately. But Sora hadn’t been affected, what if something really important had changed and it affected their friendship? It wasn’t like Sora would be aware of the extra time while he slept. “Alright, do it.”

“Oh, okay. Nobody needs to keep a bunch of memories that aren't real, right? You want to remember all of the people who are really important to you. Anybody would choose that,” she smiled shakily, leading them towards the smaller pods.

“To remember again, we have to sleep in those?” Donald ask.

“Yes. It's going to take a little time, but I'll take care of you. Riku, you should be done the fastest as most of the memories only need Kairi placed back in.”

“Gawrsh, when we wake up, we won't remember who you are anymore...” Goofy looked sad at that.

“But how are we gonna thank you?” Donald asked in concern.

“Don't worry about that! I'll just make a big note in my journal. And it will say, ‘Thank Naminé’.” Jiminy promised.

“Oh, good. That makes me feel better,” Donald nodded.

“Well, good night, then, Naminé. We’ll need to get to know you better once we’re awake Riku,” Goofy waved and climbed into one, Donald getting into the one beside him.

They watched the pods close and the two fall asleep

“You too, Riku.”

“Right… once I wake up, then I have to find Roxas.”

“I’ll be here to explain, I promise,” she hesitated. “All of this may have started with a lie...but I really am glad that I could meet you, Riku.”

“Yeah, me too. When I finally found you, and even when I remembered your name, I was happy. The way I felt then, that was no lie,” he told her and then shocked her by giving her a brief hug.

“Goodbye,” she whispered, and he shook his head.

“See you when I wake up,” he told her, and she nodded. Riku got inside, breathing deeply as it closed, locking him inside. He felt the rush of warm liquid soaking into his clothing and shoes, his eyes growing heavy. He stared across the room at where Sora was sleeping, feeling his body going lax, his head nodding, until everything went black.

,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas woke, staring at the ceiling, another dream. He sat and stretched before leaving his room. “Wonder what today's mission is. I hope it's with Xion. Maybe Axel will be back.” He walked into the Grey Area, spotting Demy and Xaldin talking.

“...Then what in blazes did happen?” Xaldin was asking, and Demy shook his head, hands up.

“Don't look at me, man! I just found out minutes ago.”

Roxas hesitated but then walked over to them. “Is everything okay?”

“Okay? As if. Word has it at least one of the folks we sent to Castle Oblivion has been terminated,” Xigbar answered.

It hurt…right in his chest… “Terminated? But that means...”

Saïx walked over, cutting him off. “Roxas, your mission. Go with Xigbar to Agrabah.”

“Is it true about Castle Oblivion?” he demanded.

“That's no concern of yours.”

“But what about Axel?” he growled angrily. Wasn’t Saïx also Axel’s friend? How could he just dismiss the news?

“Who knows. Perhaps he is among the lost,” was the cold answer.

“But...” Roxas gasped in shock, how could he?

“No buts. There's work to be done. Get yourself ready,” Xigbar spoke up.

Demyx flopped onto the hard couch. “Can you believe it? Terminated... Talk about a bad scene.”

Roxas just stared at them all before turning away, seeing Xion who just stared at him, looking lost.

_TBC…_


	7. ch7

_Disclaimer: still not mine_

**Chapter 7**

Naminé sat before the pod where Riku floated, fast asleep. His memory had to be restored first, he was needed to retrieve Roxas. She could sense the Darkness in his heart and wished she could seal it away for good…but then he would lose everything from the Islands fall, would become the boy he had been then. They did not have time for him to re-learn everything, she could not defend them should the Organisation return.

Erasing herself from his memory and restoring Kairi to her rightful place…hurt, but she would not betray the trust he had placed in her to do the right thing.

She spun with a gasp of horror as the door opened, placing herself between the pods and whoever it was, only to stare in surprise.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas woke and slowly sat up, he felt strange. He stared at the edge of the bed where a line of seashells sat, confused by their presence and the odd voice he’d heard. He got up and walked into The Grey Area, seeing no one around. He walked out and used a Corridor to get to Twilight Town, taking his normal seat on the clock tower.

“Roxas!?”

He looked over to see Xion, frozen in shock, before she rushed over. “Xion... What happened to me?” he asked, confused.

“You were sleeping…a long, long time. Saïx told us not to get our hopes up. That you might not…Well, you're awake now. That's what counts,” she managed a small smile, and he grimaced, running a hand through his hair.

“Ugh, I feel like a zombie. Guess there's some things a nap can't cure,” he grumbled and they laughed together even as she sat down beside him.

“Here, I brought you this. It's a seashell,” she gave it to him, answering the question of where the others had come from. “I've been picking one up every time I go out on a mission. Hold it up to your ear.”

Roxas held it up to his ear curiously, eyes closing as an image flashed before him. A girl and a boy on a dock somewhere, an Island maybe? It felt like he should know it, like he’d been there before, but he hadn’t, had he?

,,,,,,,,,,,,

He was so tired but the bright light was forcing itself passed his closed eyelids, keeping him from falling back to sleep. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking as everything gradually came into focus, even as he became aware of the fact he as floating. The world was hazy and he fought not to panic, what was happening? He felt the liquid draining away, dropping him to the bottom, and then the barrier in front of him lowered, sending him tumbling to the white floor. He coughed up liquid, shaking in the cold air, but then gentle hands were settling a blanket around him. He looked up to find a girl with blond hair, blue eyes, and pale skin, dressed in a white dress.

“It’s alright Riku, you’re safe,” she told him.

“Who…who are you? Where am I?” he asked, looking around, and then he saw it. “Sora!” he called in alarm, seeing him in a massive flower like pod, floating limply. “What have you done to him?” he demanded, scrambling to get to his feet.

“Nothing, he’s simply asleep to keep him safe. You placed him in the pod yourself, you just don’t remember.”

“What?” he looked at her in confusion. “Why would I do that?”

“What is the last thing you remember?” she asked.

Riku frowned, struggling to remember. What had happened? “Ansem…took my body, there was a voice…a door…” his eyes widened. “We were closing it, we had to seal it but…Sora fell through, he wouldn’t wake up,” he whispered, looking back at the pod. He looked so peaceful. “Where are we?” he asked, letting go of the blanket as he realised he no longer felt cold…somehow he was dry.

“Castle Oblivion. My name is Naminé,” she introduced herself before beginning to explain everything that had happened. She even showed him images of himself carrying Sora through the Castle to prove it.

“So I chose to forget about this castle...and get my old memories back? And Sora…” he felt sick, Sora was a Heartless? He looked just like Riku remembered, how could he not be human anymore? He’d walked over to the pod while she explained and now he pressed his hand to it, feeling the coldness of the material beneath his hand. “He doesn't even look worried,” he whispered before chuckling.

“Riku…there’s still Darkness in your heart.”

“Ansem,” he nodded, glancing at her.

“He may be at bay for now, but eventually he'll wake, and he will take over you just like he did before. But I have powers you can use. With my powers, I can put a tight lock on your heart. That way, Ansem could never come out from inside you,” she explained, and it sounded wonderful, but there had to be a catch.

“What happens to me if I let you do that? Will I forget everything like Sora?” he asked and she remained silent. “I’d have to.”

“The Darkness in you will be sealed tight just like your memory. You'll stop remembering the darkness. You'll go back to how you were. Riku, please choose.”

“Would I sleep like that, too?”

“Yes.”

“Leaving us all defenceless for however long it took, and even once I was awake…I’d be back to the level I was before all of this, unable to defend anyone.”

“But you would be free.”

He looked back at Sora. “Sora always did as he pleased. Whatever we'd be doing together, he'd find a way to slack off. Even trying to leave the islands, I did all the work on the raft by myself. That's it. When this slacker wakes up, I'll tell him off. He was meant to go home to take care of Kairi and here he is just taking a nap! But I can't chew him out like he deserves, if I've been asleep,” he shook his head. “I don't need my heart locked. I'm ready, I'm gonna fight Ansem.”

“But what if his darkness overtakes you?” she demanded and he straightened up.

“If that happens, then the darkness will show me the way.” He didn’t know where the words came from, but they felt right, and she smiled at him.

“Yes... That's true.”

Riku chuckled. “Why do I get the feeling that you knew I would say that?”

“I didn't know,” she smiled again. “I hoped. I wanted you to face the darkness, because you're the one who can.”

“I’ll be back,” he swore. “Look after Sora.”

She nodded, and he forced himself to walk away. He needed to find somewhere safe to confront the ghost in his heart, then he’d return and find out how to help Sora become human again.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Mickey looked up as the door opened and smiled. “Gosh, I guess you decided not to go to sleep.” He wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do, but the girl was right, Riku losing his skills and memory would be very dangerous while the Organisation was out there.

Riku stared at him. “King Mickey? How'd you know that?”

Mickey frowned at the formal address, how much had he forgotten? “I heard it from DiZ,” he explained, pointing to where the man was standing in the shadows of the other side of the hall.

“Do you know him?” Riku asked warily.

“Well, I'm not sure. Gotta feelin' that I've met him...somewhere...” there was something very familiar about the man, but he just couldn’t place it, yet. He was too worried about the boys at the moment to give it his full attention either. Something told him there was more to Sora sleeping than memory problems like Riku, but Naminé had remained silent.

“Hey. Who are you?” Riku called to the older man.

“I could be nobody or anybody. It is up to you whether you choose to believe in me or not.”

“What?”

“So, you have pushed away slumber and made the choice to face Ansem,” was DiZ’s answer.

“Do you think I'm reckless?” Riku demanded, and DiZ shrugged slightly.

“You have chosen your own path.”

“Are you supporting me? Or are you abandoning me?” Riku looked so confused.

Mickey wished he could tell him everything, but he had been told that it could endanger Riku’s memories to even hear too much detail of events since he had arrived in the Castle. Finding out that DiZ had been the one to free him from the Realm of Darkness, who had spoken to him occasionally, might be enough to do that, so he couldn’t risk saying anything.

“That will be your choice as well.” DiZ tossed a black coat to Riku.

“What's this?” the teen asked warily, examining it.

“The Organization will pursue you. Like a pack of hunting dogs, they will sneak up on you if they sense your presence. However, this cloak that is worn by Nobodies will render their eyes and noses useless. The ears, not so... They wear this to give themselves protection from being devoured by Darkness. Is it clear? Even the Organization cannot rule the Darkness.”

Riku stared at the cloth before looking up, resolute. “Doesn't matter. I won't run from the Darkness,” he stated firmly, and Mickey was proud of him, though still worried.

“Hmm,” DiZ tossed him a card. “The card will draw out your heart's darkness. Finish your business with Ansem.”

Riku glanced at him and Mickey smiled at him, nodding. “Let's go,” he would not leave Riku to face it alone. He led Riku down to the next floor where a room was waiting to be activated.

Riku took out the card and stared at it, he obviously didn’t remember using them before. “He said this card will draw Ansem out...”

“Don't worry! We can defeat him together!” He promised the teen, who smiled briefly before shaking his head.

“Sorry... I've gotta face him alone.”

“But why?!”

“There's no point in doing this if I can't do it on my own. But I do need a favour. If Ansem is the victor, he's going to enslave me. If that happens, use your powers to destr…”

“Of course! I'll be right there to save ya!” Mickey cut him off, ignoring what the boy had been trying to ask him. He would not destroy him, he had failed his friends, he would not fail Riku.

“Huh? No that's not it. I want you to destr…”

“No way! No matter what happens, I'm gonna be right there to help ya. I promise ya that. Unless...you don't believe I'll come through for ya...” after all, Riku didn’t remember the aide he had given him during his journey through the Castle, he only wished he could have done more.

Riku stared at him with wide eyes before slowly relaxing, nodding at him. “I choose to believe in you, always, Your Majesty.”

“And I in you. You're not gonna lose, I know it.”

“Thanks,” Riku offered a small smile before turning to face the doors. Riku held up the Castle Oblivion card to the door, and as it opened he stepped inside. 

Mickey watched the doors close behind him, praying it would be Riku who would emerge from the room, and not Ansem. He did not want to fight Riku’s possessed body, to be forced to hurt him to subdue him until something could be done to free him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“This is the end!” Riku yelled, slashing through him.

“This...is hardly...the end... Your darkness---I gave it...all to you...My dark shadow...lingers... Someday... Someday... I will return!” Ansem told him before exploding and realising a huge cloud of Darkness.

Riku struggled to get free but it was no use, the cloud consuming him. He closed his eyes, sinking into it, unable to fight. “Sora... Kairi...”

A sphere of light appeared before him and he forced his eyes open.

“Gosh, Riku, I know you wanted to do this alone...but ya don't mind gettin' a little help, do ya?” Mickey’s voice reached him, and Riku reached out to the sphere even as it formed an image of the King. Mickey grabbed his hand and led him out of the Darkness.

Mickey helped him out of the room, the doors sealing behind them, leaving them in the entry of the Castle, and Riku was too tired to do anything but lean on the much shorter King as he was led outside.

“So, Riku...what happens next? Are you goin' home?”

“I can't go home, not yet. It's still here. It's really faint, but I can sense him. So I think his Darkness may still have a hold on me. Besides, Sora needs me to do something or else he won’t ever wake up, and I can’t go home without him.”

“Your Darkness belongs to you. Just the same way your Light does. Up till now, I thought Darkness was something that should never exist. Then I spent time with you and changed my mind. The road you chose, I didn't know. Light and Dark, back to back. With you, I think they might meet in a way nobody's seen before. Wonder where that road leads. I'd like to see myself.”

“Hm?” Riku stared at him, and Mickey held out his hand.

“I'd like to walk the road with ya.”

Riku stared blankly for a second before laughing, taking his hand. “Your Majesty, I'm really flattered... I don't know what to say.”

“Gosh, Riku, you know you don't have to call me that now. We're pals. You were calling me Mickey in the Realm of Darkness, don’t ya remember?”

“Fair enough, Mickey. And it’s…foggy, some of it is clearer than other bits,” he shrugged slightly. He would need help finding somewhere safe for Sora to sleep until he found Roxas, he agreed with Naminé that the Castle was not safe.

They headed down the path after putting on the black coats, eventually coming to a crossroads of four paths and waiting there was DiZ.

“What are you making me choose now?” Riku asked warily.

“Between the road to Light…and the road to Darkness,” he pointed at the two roads.

Riku stared at him. “Neither suits me,” he declared, even surprising Mickey from the look on his face. He walked passed DiZ to the road in the middle. “I'm taking the middle road.”

“Do you mean the twilight road to nightfall?”

Riku smirked at the man, did he have to be so doom and gloom? “No. It's the road to dawn.” He would do whatever he had to in order to save Sora from his fate, he would not let him fall to Darkness as a Heartless.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas hesitated but then turned to leave the Town and return to the Castle, not feeling like ice cream.

“Hey, Roxas!”

He spun around, eyes wide, and all he could do was stare at the familiar approaching figure.

“How's it hanging?” Axel asked, and Roxas just stared. “What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost.”

“Axel?” he whispered, unable to believe his eyes. “But...I thought you were gone! Castle Oblivion…the whole team was annihilated...”

Axel smirked and reached out to ruffle his hair, proving Roxas wasn’t seeing things. “Correction: the weaklings were annihilated.”

Roxas shook his head, managing a shaky smile. “You had me worried.”

“Worried? Well, that's a neat trick, considering you haven't got a heart to feel with.”

“W-wait here. I'll go buy us some ice cream!” he ran off before Axel could say anything, quickly buying their normal before heading for the clock tower where Axel was sitting already.

“I gotta check in with the boss, or he's gonna let me have it,” Axel grumbled after a while and Roxas glanced at him.

“You haven't RTC'd yet?”

“Hmm? Nah.”

“Well, why come here?” Roxas asked in confusion.

“Guess I needed some time to sort out my feelings,” Axel shrugged, and Roxas snorted.

“Whatever, mister I-don't-have-a-heart,” he taunted, and they both laughed.

“Hey, your ice cream's melting. Eat up.”

“Thanks,” he bit into it, for some reason it tasted better than it had in ages. “You know, I started inviting Xion up here while you were gone.”

“Xion? Really?”

“Yeah. I promised her the three of us could have ice cream together… you know, once you got back. Me and her are friends now. She even left me seashells when I wouldn’t wake up for a while.”

“Huh, well then, we should do that,” Axel agreed.

,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé stared at the man, DiZ, as he stared at Sora. She may be a Nobody but she didn’t know how to fight and her powers would be worthless in one. If he tried anything, she had no way to stop him. She glanced at the other pods, Donald and Goofy still needed their memories restored. She had lied to DiZ and the King about Sora’s condition because it wasn’t her place to tell anyone, she’d only had Sora’s permission to tell the three.

“We must move them as soon as possible, before the Organisation returns to investigate what happened here,” he announced.

“They can’t be woken.”

“Then we shall move them within the pods. I have a suitable location where we shall be able to operate from.”

She just stared at him, she didn’t like it at all but without Riku or the King there, what could she do to stop him?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“You're more outgoing now, you know that?” Axel smirked at the younger Nobody as they ate their ice cream to celebrate a successful mission.

“Yeah?” Roxas glanced at him and then grinned. “Well you are, too.”

“Me? You think?” Axel asked before thinking about it. “Guess he musta rubbed off on me...” he murmured.

“Huh? Who did?” Roxas looked confused, not surprising since there seemed no link between him and Sora…except everyone said that Roxas had been unconscious for a time after Marluxia’s defeat, what did that mean for Sora?

Axel scratched his head. “Heh. Let's just say you can thank yourself that we get to sit here again and laugh like idiots over ice cream.”

Roxas laughed and took a bite even though he clearly didn’t understand what he meant.. Axel just concentrated on eating his ice cream, glancing up as Roxas looked to the corner where the stairs they used were.

“I guess Xion's not gonna show today,” he sounded sad, it was kind of impressive how well Roxas could mimic emotions considering how he’d been at the start. He was just mimicking, right?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku stared around the empty room, terrified. Where were they? “Naminé?!” he called desperately, looking around but then something caught his eye. He leapt up and found a piece of paper wedged on top of the empty pod that Riku had woken in. Written in delicate handwriting were two words: ‘Twilight Town’ and ‘Mansion’. Good, she’d left him the location….which meant DiZ was behind the move. Now all he had to do was work out where Twilight Town was.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas sighed and leant against the wall, where was she? He was getting really worried, why did his friends keep disappearing. First Axel who then ended up being declared dead but had thankfully returned, and now Xion was missing too. Axel had promised to see if Saïx knew anything, if the man would actually tell him anything. But the two acted differently around each other than the others and he guessed maybe they were friends or something. Still, he didn’t like the berserker at all…or the way he looked at Xion.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Rise and shine, sleepyhead,” Axel called, teasing the teen, who thankfully stirred. He’d heard all about Roxas’ coma and how he hadn’t been expected to wake from it, so seeing him sleeping in the Grey Area had concerned him, what would happen if he fell into another one?

Roxas yawned and stretched as he sat up. “Sorry... I was up late. Couldn't sleep,” he admitted, and Axel sat beside him.

“I asked Saïx about Xion,” he told him, and Roxas perked up.

“And?”

He shook his head, tempted to tease and draw it out, but then decided not to. “Your friend was sent out on a mission, but never RTC'd.”

“But...why not? Shouldn't the mission be done by now?”

“I dunno. But we'll find out what happened soon enough,” he stood and ruffled messy blond spikes, Roxas shoving his hand away, looking grumpy.

“Why's that?”

“You and me get to go track Xion down. That's our mission today,” he smirked as Roxas scrambled to his feet.

“You mean it!?”

“No, I made it all up. Go back to bed...” he rolled his eyes. “Yes, I mean it! Hurry up and get ready, will ya?” he gave Roxas a playful shove to get him moving. Okay so technically he’d given them the mission, but he didn’t like seeing Roxas so worried. Besides Xion was a member and they had lost several, they couldn’t lose more, right?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

DiZ moved the last cord into place, ensuring the pods were well powered, checking the readings to ensure all three still slumbered peacefully within, unharmed by the change of location. He stared at the young Keyblade wielder as he floated, he looked so very young, younger than Riku, even though there was only apparently slightly less than a year between them.

They needed him, and yet he could not wake until his memory was fixed and Naminé seemingly did not know how long that would take. She was keeping something hidden about the boys condition but he could not work out what. Why had Riku been less effected? He had only slept for a few weeks before waking and yet Sora showed no signs of improvements according to the readings. He needed to familiarise himself with the systems so that he could learn more of his condition.

Perhaps hiding right under the Organisations nose was risky, but he knew his old apprentices, it would work. At least it would until they retrieved Roxas and forced him to merge with Sora to return the memories he had taken.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

They sat together on the clock tower quietly until Axel arrived and handed them their ice cream.

“There ya go.”

“Thanks,” she whispered, staring it as they ate theirs.

“Eat up. It's gonna melt,” Roxas nudged her side gently.

“I know,” she stared at it.

“What's wrong? Not hungry?” Axel asked, but she stayed quiet, how could she tell them?

“You wanna talk about what happened?” Roxas offered.

“We're here for you if you want to get it off your chest. Right, Roxas?” Axel said and she glanced at him even as Roxas nodded.

“Yeah. That's what friends are for.”

Xion hesitated, could she tell them? But who else could she go to? “I can't... I can't use the Keyblade anymore,” she admitted, seeing their surprise. “And without it. I can't do my job,” she finished, looking away.

“What happened?” Roxas put his hand on her arm, and she wished they didn’t wear coats and gloves all the time.

“I don't know,” she admitted. “But if I don't defeat Heartless with the Keyblade...the hearts they release just find their way into other Heartless instead. I swat them in one place and they just pop up in another. I'm supposed to be collecting hearts. Those are my orders. Without the Keyblade...I'm useless.” And she’d heard enough comments about what happened to those who were useless.

“Is there anything you can do, Axel?” Roxas asked, and she glanced up hopefully, but Axel grimaced.

“Wish there was. But...it's just like Xion said. No Keyblade, no can do.”

“They're gonna turn me into a Dusk once they find out they don't need me,” she shuddered, and Roxas frowned.

“C'mon, Axel, think of something!” he demanded.

“Hey, I'm racking my brain here, and there's just no way to…Wait.” He looked between them, and she felt a flash of hope that maybe he’d worked something out.

“What? Tell us.”

“What if you worked double duty, Roxas?” Axel suggested.

“Huh?”

“What do you mean, Axel?” She asked, confused.

“Xion, stick with Roxas until you can control the Keyblade again. Make sure your missions are with him. Then, he can collect the hearts and nobody will ever have to know that you're not doing the same,” Axel explained.

“Axel, that's brilliant!” Roxas cheered.

“Ah ah ah. BUT...Roxas, that also means you have to collect twice as many hearts,” he warned, and Roxas nodded.

“I can do it.”

“You don't mind?” She asked him, worried. He’d spent all those days asleep...what if he got hurt because of her?

“Of course not!”

“But…” she tried to argue, but Axel stood before leaning down to ruffle their hair.

“Hey, friends have gotta be able to lean on each other now and then. Ain't that right, Roxas?”

“Thanks... So...Axel, does that mean you and I can be friends?”

“Well, yeah. Was there ever any doubt? Any friend of Roxas is a friend of mine,” he smirked, and she smiled, relieved they had a plan.

“Thank you... Roxas, Axel, thank you!”

“Eat your ice cream,” he told her, and she happily took a bite.

Everything would work out, it had to.

_TBC…_


	8. ch8

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 8**

Riku and Mickey looked around Twilight Town, searching for the Mansion, having to eavesdrop on a group of kids to hear a hint. They ducked through the hole in the town wall and into the forest, walking along a dirt path until they reached a clearing with a wall through it and locked gates. Riku approached and nodded. “This is it.”

“You’re sure?”

“Sora’s in there,” he swore so Mickey called his Keyblade, unlocking the gate to give them access. He was amazed by how the King just trusted his word on Sora’s presence.

They entered cautiously and then Naminé appeared on the stairs, looking tired but relieved to see them. Riku vaulted the lower stairs, quickly moving up to the upper level. It confused him why he had trusted her so quickly and easily and he wondered if the fake memories could still affect him despite the fact he didn’t remember them anymore.

“You’re here,” she whispered in relief, and Riku frowned.

“Are you alright?” he asked, seeing a flicker of confusion in her eyes. He slowly reached out to clasp her shoulder. “Have you slept at all since we left?”

“DiZ prefers that I stay with Sora as much as possible,” she admitted, looking down.

“Well, that simply won’t do!” Mickey spoke up, looking very much like a King at that moment. “Will you take us to him Naminé?”

She nodded and led them into a library where the floor retracted to reveal stairs. The basement was nothing like the derelict building above, everything metallic and cold. They walked through a room with strange machines, then an empty room, into a hallway with familiar pods along the wall.

“Donald…Goofy,” Mickey murmured as they saw the two sleeping still. They paused for a minute until the King nodded.

They entered a large room with the largest pod in the middle and Riku finally relaxed a little as he saw Sora floating peacefully within. Riku walked up to it, pressing his hand to the clear shell. “Sora…” he whispered.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“What’s bothering you?” Axel asked as they sat down, he hadn’t wanted to ask at the Castle, you never knew who might overhear. Xion was buying them ice cream and he’d asked her to take her time, she’d just nodded, obviously knowing something was up.

“What?” Roxas looked at him.

“Ever since I got back, something has been up,” Axel shrugged, and Roxas looked away.

“You know I was unconscious for days,” Roxas finally said, and Axel nodded. “I’ve been…having these dreams.”

“Dreams?” Axel pressed. If it had started when he was at Castle Oblivion…was it tied to whatever had been up with Sora?

“People and places I’ve never seen and then on missions places sometimes feel familiar when I know I’ve never been.”

Well, that was interesting. Seemed like he’d started gaining Sora’s memories, but why? Was the kid dying or something and that was why Roxas was starting to remember? He…he didn’t want Roxas to remember being Sora. It was strange but would Roxas want anything to do with him if he remember his life as a real person? He may not feel the emotions Sora had, but he’d remember feeling them.

“Sounds like you might be starting to remember,” he admitted softly. He’d never lied to Roxas and he couldn’t start now. There were things he hadn’t told him, but he always told him the truth. He lied so much to others but he didn’t want to lie to him.

“Oh,” Roxas whispered, but then Xion was there with their ice cream and the subject was changed.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He didn’t know what Mickey had said to DiZ but the man seemed a bit more…subdued? He didn’t care, so long as he didn’t endanger Sora or harm Naminé. The way he’d been treating her definitely counted as harm.

He sat down with his back against Sora’s pod, staring at blank white walls. After a while he began to talk, telling Sora the things he could never manage when he was awake.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Hey, who are you bozos!?”

They whirled around and Roxas summoned his Keyblade. “Uh-oh... I know you...” he loosened his grip and the Keyblade vanished.

“Hmph! Here for the magic lamp, are ya?” the massive male demanded.

“What magic lamp?” he glanced at Xion who shook her head, she had no clue either.

“Don't try and play dumb with me! You listen up an' listen good! That lamp is official property of Pete - that's me! Ya got it? So you goons can keep your dirty mitts off!” he yelled, attacking.

Xion dodged back out of the way while Roxas called his Keyblade back, dodging the wild attacks with ease before slamming the blade into Pete’s stomach, sending him reeling back.

“Rrrrrrgh... Ya puny little punks! First I can't find the dag-blasted lamp, now I gotta deal with these weirdos... It just ain't fair!” He stomped the ground, causing a rock to fall from the ceiling and hit him on the head. He recovered quickly and looked up as more rocks came tumbling down, shaking the cave. “Zoinks! This can't be good! I'm outta here!” Pete ran for it, and Roxas let go of his Keyblade, shaking his head.

“Come on, Roxas! We can't stay here!” Xion yelled, dodging some rock, and he nodded.

“Yeah, you're right. Hurry!”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku checked his coat and equipment, taking one last look at the pod Sora slept in. It was past time that he get on with his mission, he had to find Roxas and bring him in, one way or another. “I’ll be back before you know it,” he promised, before walking away.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Xion joined the others at the Altar of Naught, glancing around for Roxas and Axel but the others were too tall for her to see around well.

“The time has arrived. Look to the skies!” Xemnas raised his arms high and they all looked up. “There hangs the heart of all hearts - Kingdom Hearts - shining down on us at last. See the countless hearts that have gathered? Hearts full of rage...hate...sadness...and bliss. There, in the sky, hangs the promise of a new world.” He lowered his arms and turned to face the group.

“My friends! Remember why we have organized, all the things we hope to achieve. The strength of the human heart is vast. Soon, though...we will have gained power over it! Never again will it...have power over us.”

Xion couldn’t help the small shiver at his words, were they really doing the right thing?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas sat on his bed, writing in his journal, confused by the day.

_Xemnas summoned us. Nothing he says ever makes sense to me. He showed us Kingdom Hearts, a big heart-shaped moon floating up there in the night sky, and said the human heart will never have power over us. Great...I guess? So why are we trying to get hearts again? Axel said I'll understand better once I have a heart, but I'm not so sure..._

He sighed and shut the book, setting it aside. Outside of his window he could see it, Kingdom Hearts. Xemnas was utterly fascinated by it but just seeing it made him feel…sick, like there was something very wrong. Which was silly, he didn’t have the ability to feel anything. He sometimes thought it would be easier if he really had his memories of being a person, maybe he’d understand why the others wanted Kingdom Hearts so much. Sometimes, the way others looked at him, he thought they knew who he had been. Why couldn’t he remember?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku lowered Soul Eater, watching the Nobodies fade away. He looked down at the blade curiously, it had been feeling…different lately. Like it was changing, growing, but that wasn’t possible, was it? Not like it was a Keyblade, he’d lost the right to wield one when he’d let the Darkness in. His Keyblade had chosen Sora, and he knew that was right, Sora was a better choice than he ever could have been.

Then again, apparently Sora had more Darkness in him than Riku had thought since Naminé had explained that Sora had become a Neoshadow as a Heartless. That made him very glad that the pod was letting Sora keep his human appearance, he did not want to see Sora like that. He would deserve it though, to see what his actions had done to his best friend. If not for his actions, Sora would never had had to kill himself to save Kairi. He remembered Sora falling through the Door, carrying him through the Realm of Darkness, and he was so thankful that the magic hadn’t failed when they were there…because if it had they would have lost him, either they would have had to destroy him or he would have gotten away and joined the other Heartless that lived there.

He let go of Soul Eater and held his hand out, opening a Corridor of Darkness. He hated that he could do that, but it was a very handy ability. It was just a bigger reminder of what he had locked away in his heart. He stepped through, leaving Wonderland behind.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Axel watched the kids walk away and grimaced. He’d bought them another day but that was it. What would they do tomorrow?

“Don't think for a minute I believed that,” Saïx told him, and Axel wiped the worry form his face, turning to him with a grin.

“Believed what?”

“That reprehensible performance,” his old friend answered.

Axel remembered being children together, all the fun they’d had, the promises made…it was why he let Saïx use him to do so many of the icky jobs but…sometimes he really wondered if it meant anything to Saïx, or if he was just a means to an ends to him.

“Uh-huh, well... I'd better get over to Agrabah,” he offered before leaving.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé stared at the pod where Sora slept, wishing there was more she could do. She had managed to stop more of his memories leaking through but had no way of returning those that had, they were gone to his Nobody which just meant another reason Roxas needed to re-join Sora. She had not told DiZ and Riku had admitted keeping the truth of Sora’s condition from the King as well. As far as they knew, Sora slept to restore memories that had been changed and removed, far more than what had been done to Riku. The fewer who knew, the safer Sora was.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku stood on the hill, staring down at the schoolyard below. Picking out Kairi among the other students was easy. Even if she didn’t have red hair that was easy to spot, he could feel the Light of a Princess of Heart from where he stood. But how could he ever face her? No, he would help restore Sora, and then he would fade away, live his life protecting them from the shadows, no matter how much it hurt.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Axel sat alone in his room, thinking things over. Since he’d been sent to Castle Oblivion, everything had changed. He did wonder what had happened to Sora, there had been no sign of him, the King’s men, Riku…none of them. With Roxas seeming to gain some of the boys’ memories it did make him wonder.

Saïx walked in and Axel didn’t even bother to look over.

“Ever hear of knocking?”

“Tell me what Xion has been doing.”

Axel turned from the window, lounging on the bench. “How should I know? I'm not spying on her.”

“...But the two of you are close.”

“So what, now I've gotta rat on my friends to you? Get out of my room, man,” he waved a lazy hand at him.

“You and Xion will be executing your next mission together.”

“Yes, sir, thank you, sir. You paid me a personal visit just to tell me that?” he drawled, seeing what appeared to be a flicker of irritation in Saïx’s eyes.

  
“We also need you to go back to Castle Oblivion,” he continued, ignoring Axel’s words.

“We, or you?” Axel cocked his head to the side, watching him. Was this a sanctioned mission or one to help them? Then again…he wondered if there was a them anymore, if there had been since the very earliest days after they’d become Nobodies.

“The castle hasn't given up all its secrets. And there's one in particular that Lord Xemnas is especially interested in.”

“You mean the chamber. We turned that place inside out. If it's there, we're not gonna find it by just looking,” Axel argued.

“Hmm... Then let me give you another incentive. Naminé isn't the only one who can trace her beginnings to Castle Oblivion. Xion comes from there, too.

“Huh?” Xion? Just whose Nobody was she…

“Two of your favourite people. Still think another visit is a waste of time?” Saïx asked, practically taunted and Axel knew he’d be going.

“Hmph... Whatever. You're the one who wants me to go. Don't try and dress it up as a favour.”

“Hmph.”

“Let me guess... That chamber will tell you everything you don't know about Xemnas' true agenda. Is that the idea?” he asked, pushing for more information.

“The Chamber of Repose, and it's antipode, the Chamber of Waking... Xemnas isn't telling us something. And the missing chamber, the Chamber of Waking, it holds all the answers. We need those answers to gain the upper hand, for our own reasons.”

“Hmm... Look, I knew Vexen and Zexion would be obstacles. That's why they're not here anymore. When have I ever complained about the dirty work?” he smirked. “I cleared the way to the top for you. Just do me a favour and don't trip on the way up.”

“A solo mission in Castle Oblivion... Expect the orders soon,” he told him before leaving.

Axel slumped back against the wall. “Naminé...and Xion?” Xion…she looked like Naminé a bit but also…Sora. He groaned, working that out was way above his pay grade.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku dropped to one knee, pressing a hand to his chest. He closed his eyes, focusing, pushing the Darkness back. It was getting worse with every fight. He had beaten back Ansem in the Castle after he woke but…had Ansem been right? Would he never be free? No, he was free and he could control his Darkness. He walked the road to dawn, the fine line between Light and Dark.

He got back to his feet and started walking again. They did not know where the Organisation was based, it was why he and Mickey had split up so that they could cover more Worlds. He was also…avoiding some. It would be very awkward to go to a world he’d been to at Maleficent’s order to kidnap a Princess. They’d have every right to throw him in the dungeon or run him through.

Riku wore the coat all the time, hood up, hiding from the worlds in a way maybe. He hadn’t seen any members of the Organisation on any world yet, but he knew they were out there, he’d seen evidence of having just missed them in a few places. He had to find Roxas! He assumed, based on Naminé, that he would look enough like Sora for him to recognise. But would he be anything like Sora without a heart? Would he have any of his memories? If he did….maybe he would want to go back to him, to be whole again?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas sat up, he was practically panting as he stared around his room…it was white, like always… he took a deep breath and then another, trying to calm down. He…what…what was that? An island…a storm unlike anything he’d ever seen….Heartless…a boy reaching for another…

He shook his head but the dream didn’t fade. He thought, if he saw them, he’d be able to recognise them, they weren’t blurry like the other dreams. He ran a hand through his hair and then got up, reaching for his journal to record the dream before putting it back and then getting up to start the day.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The stained glass platform was cracked and broken, no longer a perfect circle, the bright colours dulled, some gone all together under blackness. Floating just above was an armour glad body, but the armour was damaged, seemingly missing in sections. Where it was missing the body was warped, misshapen and black. The intact armour was green and gold, but the gold was tarnished, the green edging darker towards black. From the floating form whisps of Darkness rose even as small chains of Light sank into the armour, fighting the Darkness.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Roxas must be working late,” she murmured as she ate her ice cream.

“Hope Xigbar isn't giving him too hard a time,” Axel grinned.

“Yeah... Hey, Axel,” she hesitated.

“Hmm?”

“You know how you were talking the other day about how we all have pasts? When I sit here with you guys, it's weird... I get the strangest feeling I used to watch the sun set with somebody else. Or when I'm by the sea...” she took out the latest seashell that she’d collected, staring at it. “When I look at the water, and hear the waves lapping against the shore...it's almost like I can hear another voice.”

“So...you mean you remembered something?” Axel stopped eating, watching her.

Xion shook her head. “No... It's not quite like that. Well, I dunno. Maybe these ARE memories... It just seems weird that they're mine.”

“Hey, don't ask me.”

“But you have memories, don't you?” she pressed.

“Yeah,” he shrugged slightly. “Not that they've ever done me any good.”

“I guess I'm more like Roxas. Neither one of us remembers much. I wonder if he and I had this much in common before we were Nobodies.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Axel took a bite of his ice cream, he was starting to get a bad feeling about just how much the two did have in common. Saïx had told him she came from Castle Oblivion... he found himself wondering, despite himself, whether or not Xion was actually one of them, a Nobody. Or perhaps…she had more in common with something…someone he hadn’t seen or heard of since the Castle. He thought that if he could feel guilt, he thought he might over what they’d done to Vexen’s creation.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas had no idea what to do for a ‘vacation’, so he figured he’d just go to Twilight Town. He paused when he saw the three he’d seen when they were looking for Xion. He knew the boy to the side was Pence, but he hadn’t actually met the other. He watched them cheer on the taller boy as he did….something, was it a kind of training maybe?

“Woo-hoo! Go, Hayner!” the girl cheered, so the blond must be Hayner then.

“Keep it up!” Pence yelled.

Roxas hesitated but then walked into the Sandlot.

“Augh! No more! Huff, huff... I'm done,” the blond lowered the bat he was using.

“That was amazing, Hayner! A new record, for sure!”

So it was training?

“Ugh, now I'm all tired.”

The girl looked over and then stared at him, and Roxas found himself wanting to back away for some odd reason. “Huh? Pence, who's...”

“Hey, I know you. How's it going?” Pence grinned.

“Hey,” Roxas offered awkwardly, unsure what else to say.

“On your own today? Oh, did you find your friend?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah,” he nodded. “She’s fine.”

“Friend of yours, Pence?” the girl asked.

“Yeah, I bumped into him a little while back.”

“Oh. Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm Olette,” she smiled and walked towards him.

“Nice to...meet you, too.” He took her offered hand, not really sure what to do with it.

“And I'm Pence. But you already knew that.”

Roxas nodded, he did. “What are you all doing?”

“Watching Hayner here practice his Grandstander act.” Pence explained, waving at the blond and the bat.

“Grandstander?” what was that.

“Yeah, you keep hitting a ball in the air and try to keep it from touching the ground,” Olette explained.

“Hayner's one of the best in town,” Pence bragged.

Hayner walked over, looking Roxas over. “You new around here? How come you're bothering us?”

“Bothering? I'm not…Sheesh, I was just passing by.” He shook his head and took a step back.

“Uh-huh. Well, keep passing by then. We're busy here.”

“Hey! Hayner, don't be rude! There's no need to be mean,” Olette chided.

“Sorry about that. I'm sure he didn't mean to offend you. He's just…” Pence trailed off.

Roxas stepped back, watching them all. “Nice to meet you,” he mumbled before retreating. They were…too much, he didn’t know how to react around real people.

He made his way through the town, keeping to the shadows and away from the people until he reached the ice cream stand, the owner smiling at him. Roxas paid and then made his way to the clock tower, still unsettled by a day so different to what he was used to. Hopefully tomorrow everything would be back to normal with missions and stuff.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku stared at his reflection in the mirror and grimaced as he took in the flicker of gold in his eyes, his shaggy long hair. The Darkness was becoming ever stronger and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep it back. He reached down, tearing a strip from his coat to tie across his eyes, leaving him in a world of blackness. Now he just had to work out how to fight without his eyesight, wincing as he hit his shin, okay, so he needed to work out how to walk around first.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Xion stared in confusion as a figure wearing one of their coats stood on the bridge to the Beast’s castle. Too tall for Roxas…too short for everyone else. She called her Keyblade to hand and readied for a fight. “Who are you? Are you the Imposter?” She demanded.

The hooded head tilted slightly to one side and then a weapon was in their hand…it almost looked like a Keyblade?

She ran forward, but was struck down before she could land a blow, skidding across the ground, her Keyblade disappearing. She scrambled to her knees even as the other pulled back his hood, revealing long silver hair and…a blindfold? Was he blind? How could he have defeated her if he couldn’t see? She got up and called her blade again, lunging, he blocked her blow, pushing her aside, but she kept attacking and somehow he blocked her as well as if he could see her.

Xion eventually ended up on her knees, panting. She struggled to rise but collapsed. The silver-haired man turned around and dispelled his own blade, walking closer as she lay there, utterly vulnerable.

He knelt over her and pulled her hood back before lifting one side of his blindfold, showing a

cyan eye, and then gasped, stepping back from her. She tried to get up, clutching her side, but couldn’t. “Your face... Who are you really? And why do you have a Keyblade?” he demanded.

She struggled up to her knees and put her hood back on. “Tell me first...why you are dressed as one of us.”

He walked over to her Keyblade, stuck in the ground, and she tensed. “To make sure my best friend...sleeps in peace.” He pulled the Keyblade from the brick. “I don't know who you're supposed to be. But...you can't fight fire with sparks. This Keyblade, it's a sham - worthless.” He tossed it aside and Xion gasped.

“My Keyblade is not a sham!” she yelled at him. “What gives you the right to say that?” She snatched the Keyblade from the ground and ran at him, shouting.

He moved left to dodge her attack, and slammed his fist into her bruised side. She fell to the ground and the Keyblade disappeared. He turned away. “Find a new crowd. Trust me. Those guys are bad news,” he warned as he began walking away.

“Why? You're the real sham.” She grimaced in pain.

He looked back at her and shrugged. “Fair enough. You could say I am...the biggest nobody of them all.”

He walked away and Xion screamed. It wasn’t true! It wasn’t!

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Hey, isn't that...” Roxas stared up at the clock tower and then ran towards it. He found her standing there alone and was relieved she was still there. “Hey, Xion!”

“Roxas? Don't you have a mission?” She looked at him.

“Yeah. They sent me here today.”

“Really? Me too...” she admitted softly. Roxas looked toward Xion, but then looked away. Xion, then did the same, staring at the ground. “Roxas, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have run off like that yesterday.”

“Whatever, it didn't bother me,” he shrugged as if it wasn’t important.

“I was upset. I messed up a mission really bad. I don't suppose you heard about the guy pretending to be one of us?” she asked, and he nodded, hadn’t everyone? “The Organization imposter? I was ordered to take him out...but I couldn't beat him. Saïx was so mad, he called me a ‘mistake’,” she admitted, and his eyes went wide.

“Oh... Gosh, I'm sorry...”

“Don't be. That jerk can say whatever he wants. I can take it.”

“Hey, Xion... Why don't we work together today?” he suggested.

“Huh? How?” She looked at him in confusion, and he grinned.

“Let's double up on our missions. If we team up, we should be able to cut through the work faster.”

“Well...okay. Maybe we'll finish early and have more time for ice cream,” she agreed with a small smile.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku sat beside Sora’s pod, leaning against it. “I saw someone…a girl,” he admitted softly. “And yes, I peeked under the blindfold to really see her. She…she looks like Kairi…a bit like you too…but with black hair instead of red. I thought she wielded a Keyblade, but it isn’t real, not like yours.”

He tipped his head back, wishing Sora could answer him, could he hear him at all? Did he have any kind of awareness? Or was he dreaming? So deeply asleep that he couldn’t dream?

“I miss you,” he whispered. He rolled to his knees, placing his hand on the pod. “I’m sorry for everything Sora. Please, know that, even…even though you’ll never see me again.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Axel, about Xion...” Roxas stared out at the sunset.

“Saïx told me what happened this morning,” Axel admitted.

“Why does he hate her so much?” he asked quietly, confused.

“Listen to you. How come you do that? Talk like you're a real person.”

“Why? What did I say? I don't know how real people talk.” How could he talk like a person if he wasn’t one?

“I mean, sometimes you sound like you really are heartsick or something,” Axel clarified.

“When I saw her lying there... I couldn't stop thinking that she'll never wake up,” he curled his arms around his knees. Was it the same as when he’d been unconscious for so long? Or was it different and she’d never wake?

“She will.”

“Saïx called her ‘broken’,” he spat, he really didn’t like him.

“Hmm... Well, if it cheers you up, I'm probably a lot more broken than her.”

It didn’t. “Saïx knows something about her. Why me and her are special Nobodies.” He didn’t like knowing what was meant by that, if it was about him then didn’t he have the right to know?

“Well... If it's gonna keep you up at night, I could ask him for you,” Axel offered casually.

Roxas stood up, staring at him. “Really!?”

“Yes, really! Sheesh, sit down. I'll ask, but don't get your hopes up. Straight answers aren't exactly his specialty,” Axel warned, and Roxas nodded.

“He's more likely to tell you than he is me.”

“True.”

“I just hope she wakes up soon,” he sighed.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas put a seashell down beside Xion like she had for him. “You won’t believe what I did today Xion. I flew! I mean I really flew,” he told her, sitting down to tell her all about it. Maybe talking to her would help her to wake up, maybe it wouldn’t, but it made him feel a bit better.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“You seem to be struggling,” he commented as he joined her before the pod where Sora slept. It was hard to tell but he thought that the boy had grown some since he had first seen him, so the pod did not keep him completely unchanged.

“A Nobody is interfering, I think,” Naminé admitted softly, hands clasped in front of her.

“A Nobody?” He demanded, she would have called Roxas by his name, how could another interfere?

“I keep trying to piece his memory back together, but what if some of the pieces got lost? There would be no way for me to finish. If that happened--and they found their way into someone else--he'd never get them back.”

“Oh, I think he can do without a memory or two,” he shrugged it off, so long as he could fight the Heartless what did it matter?

“But what...what if he needs those memories in order to wake up? What if they're the key?”

“Naminé... You are a witch who has power over Sora's memories and those connected to him. Are you seeing something I cannot?” he demanded.

“If his memories become her memories...she will never survive it.”

“She?” Definitely not Roxas then. How could another be connected? Naminé was Kairi’s Nobody and Roxas was Sora’s. There was no one else who could be connected to them?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

She had thought she had stabilised Sora enough that his memories had stopped leaking out, Roxas had not gained more, she knew that. But now the girl was interfering somehow…the girl that Riku had fought. Naminé did her best to reinforce her work, to keep Sora from losing any more memories.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Hey, Xion. Get here early?” Roxas grinned at seeing her sitting in their usual place, eating an ice cream.

“Yeah. I breezed right through my mission,” she told him as he dropped down beside her to eat his own. “So, how'd your day go?”

“Ugh, you'll never believe what Xigbar did...” he groaned only to trail off as Axel joined them.

“Hey hey. Oh, Xion, what are you doing here?”

“What, do you want me to leave? Sheesh,” she looked away and Roxas’ eyes widened, looking between them.

“C'mon, that's not what I meant,” Axel whined as he sat, meaning Roxas was in the middle.

They sat in silence for a while, Roxas trying to work out something to say, anything.

“Hey, Axel?” Xion was the first to speak up.

“Uh-huh?” He looked over at her so Roxas leant back a little.

“You've been to Castle Oblivion, right?”

“Yup,” he nodded, licking at his ice cream.

“What's it like?”

“The Organization uses it as a research facility,” Axel explained, and Roxas frowned.

“Seems like people are getting sent there all the time. Especially you,” and Axel definitely wasn’t any kind of researcher.

“But they never send me or Roxas,” Xion added.

“Well...they probably just don't need you there, that's all,” he shrugged, so Roxas went back to eating his ice cream, figuring that was the end of the conversation.

“Maybe....” Xion stood and Roxas stopped eating again to look up at her. “I gotta go.”

“Huh?” why? He lunged forward as she slipped backwards, fingers latching on tight to her wrist, staring into her shocked eyes. He grimaced but pulled, and she managed to get a foothold, even as Axel reached for her other hand. They pulled her back up to safety and Roxas knelt next to her. “Are you feeling all right? Maybe you need to rest.”

“No, it's nothing like that,” she shook her head.

They fell silent again, he was really worried about her. If she’d fallen without them there….

“I've got it!” Axel suddenly announced, startling them both.

“Huh? Got what?” he asked the older male.

“Let's go to the beach next time we get a day off,” he grinned at them, and Roxas glanced at Xion, was he serious?

“The beach? Where did that come from?” she asked, as confused as Roxas was.

“What, don't you want to go somewhere different for a change?”

“So...it would just be the three of us?” he asked.

“Yeah, exactly.”

“...I'll join you...if I can,” Xion said and Roxas looked at her again.

“Of course you can, Xion.”

“You'll have a blast, trust me.”

“Well...all right, sure. Let's do it.” she smiled and Roxas grinned even as Axel reached over to mess with their hair.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi sat on the beach, staring out at the water. It was strange…some people were having trouble remembering Sora, or only remembering him as a kid, things like that. What could have happened to cause that? Was he alright? She just wanted them both home and safe.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“I sent Axel to Castle Oblivion last night on short notice, to help expedite the matter we spoke of. I also instructed him to clear out our facilities there. He should RTC soon,” Saïx reported.

“And Naminé?” Xemnas looked over at him.

“Still missing, sir.”

“Missing indeed. Ha ha! Wherever could she be?” Xigbar laughed.

“Why, Xigbar... It almost sounds as though you know,” Saïx stared at him.

“Hmph.”

Xemnas sometimes felt like he was stuck dealing with unruly children. “What else?”

“Somebody accessed our main computer without authorization,” Saïx reported.

“’Somebody’? Are we all gonna pretend we don't know who? Little Poppet is turning into a problem…and I think you catch my meaning,” Xigbar leant back in his chair.

“Nonsense. I see no problem whatsoever.”

“Ha ha! Well no, apparently you don't!”

“Something you find amusing?” Saïx demanded.

“If people see with their hearts, Saïx, then you're even blinder than the rest of us,” Xigbar smirked.

“Our plans remain unchanged. Axel, Roxas, and Xion will play the roles Kingdom Hearts has chosen for them,” Xemnas cut in before they could argue any more.

“But sir, Xion... If we don't take steps…”

“Take steps? How can you not see how perfect this is? Xion is marching right into the arms of destiny. The only steps we need take are two: watch...and wait.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku listened to Naminé and nodded. “I think I know who you mean,” he admitted, explaining about his confrontation on the bridge.

It was strange, he was blindfolded and yet he could still see her. It wasn’t like normal vision but he knew exactly where she was. He couldn’t tell what someone was wearing, couldn’t even make out things like hair and eye colour, but it was enough that he no longer walked into things or tripped, and he could fight.

So now, he had to find not only Roxas, but the girl as well. The fact that Sora kept loosing memories worried him, it meant that despite being safely asleep in the pod, he was becoming more and more like a Heartless. They had to get the two Nobodies to him fast, to restore not only his body but his memory. How much had he lost? Part of him had still recognised Riku at the end, according to Naminé but what if…what if he woke and didn’t remember him? Then again, maybe that would be for the best.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Mickey was surprised to find a message from his old Master, but he made his way swiftly to the Mysterious Tower. He hadn’t been there since…since Aqua had taken Ventus’ body away to hide it safely until his heart returned. “Master Yen Sid,” he greeted the elderly Wizard.

“King Mickey, welcome. We have much to discuss.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“You're early,” Axel commented as he watched the younger Nobody eat his ice cream.

Roxas looked up at him and smirked. “No, you're just late.”

Axel snickered but sat down next to Roxas and smiled. They ate quietly for a while

“Today makes 255,” Roxas eventually said, and Axel looked over at him in confusion.

“What's that about?” he asked.

“It's been that many days since I first joined the Organization. Man, time flies.”

Had it really been that long already? Roxas was right, time did fly. “So, you got the number memorised, do ya?”

“Yeah. Have to hang onto something, right? It's not like I have memories from before the Organization. Don't you remember? I acted like a zombie,” Roxas grimaced, and Axel clapped his shoulder.

“Right, that first week you could barely form a sentence. But come on, you're still kind of a zombie.” He shoved him playfully.

“Oh, thanks!”

They both laughed at that.

“Hey, Roxas. Bet you don't know why the sun sets red. You see, light is made up of lots of colours. And out of all those colours, red is the one that travels the farthest,” he explained only to get an elbow to the side.

“Like I asked! Know-it-all.”

They laughed again, settling in to eat their ice creams before they totally melted. Axel eventually leant back, staring up at the sky.

“Seriously, where is she?”

Axel had been wondering when he’d ask, his expression serious as he sat back up. “Roxas... I'm not sure she's gonna show today,” he told him.

“Did she collapse again?” Roxas demanded and once again, the emotion seemed so real.

“She...” he looked away…and then he did the one thing he’d never done, he lied to Roxas, “...What, didn't you hear? She got sent on a really important mission. Pretty cool, huh?” he would almost think he felt sick but he couldn’t tell Roxas the truth.

“Oh... So when's she coming back?”

“Well, I guess that depends on how well she does her job, right?”

“Heh, fair enough.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas stormed into his room, pacing restlessly. How could they say that! Okay so it was good that they weren’t talking about turning her into a Dusk… or worse, but to abandon her? What if she was hurt somewhere? Or had passed out again? They really expected him to not go after her? How could he not? They were best friends.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku approached the figure lying in the sand, kneeling down to roll them over. He didn’t even need to peak to know who it was, scooping her up and taking her away from the Destiny Islands before anyone could see them. He lay her down on the grass well away from where the family of humans were camped but also away from where he’d seen the Gorillas, and knelt beside her to wait for her to wake, supporting her head. He hoped he could convince her to return Sora’s memories willingly. He saw and felt her shift as she woke.

“Are you...”

“Riku,” he told her, letting her sit unaided, sitting back some, “Sora's friend.”

“Sora? You know Sora?” she asked and she sounded so hopeful even as she sat up, turning to face him.

“Yeah.” He stood and offered a hand up.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “You saved me...but I don't know why you did.”

“I guess…I just felt like it.” he walked away from her, staring out into the jungle. It looked strange to his sight.

“Riku, please... Tell me more - about Sora and that girl he's always with,” she pleaded, and he closed his eyes in pain, she sounded so much like her….

“You mean Kairi,” he whispered, but he knew she’d heard him.

“Kairi... That's right. She's the one who looks so much like me.”

He turned back to her. “To Sora, she's someone very special.”

“It's just... I remember things about the two of them,” she fidgeted nervously. “But I'm nothing more than a puppet…something that somebody created. So why would I have... their memories? Do you know where Sora is now?

“That secret stays with me,” he snapped, and she drew back, making him feel bad but he would never endanger Sora by telling.

“Why's that?” she managed to ask, and he ran a hand through his hair.

“Xion...your memories...they really belong to Sora.”

“So you mean...I'm like a part of him?”

“Sora was…hurt and that scattered some of his memories, some of them found their way inside you. Now, Sora has been put to sleep so that we can piece together his memory. Except...”

“You can't, because part of it is inside of me. That means...he can't wake up,” she was staring at him and she sounded genuinely horrified.

“Yeah. You got it. But, if you go with me to Sora right now, we could give the memories inside you back to him,” he tried, he had to try and talk her into it. The idea of raising his blade against someone who looked like Kairi, even when he couldn’t make out her features made him feel sick.

“So, do you hate me for taking your friend away from you?” she walked away from him, and he sighed.

“Nah. I guess...I'm just sad,” he admitted.

“I'm sorry, but...I can't go with you. It's my friends - they need me. And I need them, too.”

Riku walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Maybe...you should take some time and think about it. Figure out who really needs you more. And where you belong,” he offered gently. He could give her a little time.

“How will I know where I belong, truly? I'm not sure I can promise you I'll come up with the right answer.”

“Well, the answer you come up with can't just be right for you. It has to be one that works best for everybody, you and your friends and everyone else,” he explained.

“I'll try,” she answered, and he got the feeling she was trying to smile, to be brave.

He nodded and moved away, opening a Corridor and leaving her. DiZ would not be pleased…but he didn’t care. They didn’t know if Sora would retain memories from the Nobodies and if he did then the last thing he needed was to remember Riku forcing either of them.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“The impostor has been sighted again,” Saïx announced as soon as Roxas walked in, and he blinked, staring at the blue haired Nobody.

“Impostor? You mean the one that Xion...”

“He's prowling about Castle Oblivion as we speak.”

“Castle Oblivion? I'll go.” He’d get that imposter to tell him where Xion was!

“Not by yourself, you won't. This target is extremely dangerous,” Saïx warned, but he didn’t care.

“Then how 'bout I tag along? I know Castle Oblivion better than anybody else in this outfit,” Axel announced as he joined them, and Roxas was relieved, surely that would be enough to get them the mission.

“All right, better. Go, then, and teach this fraud the price for wearing our coat.” With that Saïx left.

Axel nodded at him and they headed out. Roxas stared up at the Castle, it felt….familiar. Axel opened the door and they walked inside.

“So, this is Castle Oblivion...” he bent over, clutching his head in pain.

“Roxas!?” he dimly heard Axel call his name.

“Agh, my...my head!” he felt his knees hit the hard floor.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Hey, easy man! C'mon, let's retreat for now and,” Axel moved in, not liking what was happening at all! Was Roxas remembering Sora’s time in the Castle? Or was it somehow affecting him in another way?

“No...” Roxas struggled to rise, and Axel moved to support him. “We have to...find Xion... Wh...what's happening?” Roxas slurred, slumping against him.

“Roxas!” he yelled his name, but the blond didn’t respond. Axel didn’t hesitate, he hefted him over his shoulders and opened a Corridor, rushing through.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

_“Giving up already? I thought you were stronger than that.”_

Roxas jerked awake at the sound of a voice he knew he should recognise. “RIKU!”

“Whoa, you okay there?” Axel knelt beside him, and Roxas blinked.

He looked around, recognising Twilight Town. “What happened to me?”

“You collapsed right inside the castle doors. Don't you remember?” Axel asked, a hand helping to support him.

“I remember going in, that's it.” he began trying to get to his feet.

“Hey, you should take a breather,” Axel argued.

“I'm fine. We need to go back to Castle Oblivion,” he told him as he managed to get up.

“Hah, I don't think so,” Axel shook his head but then spun, looking around, and Roxas tensed. “Who's there?”

There! Standing at the end of the alley were two people in Organisation coats with the hoods up.

“Xion?” he shakily pushed away from the wall, taking a hesitant step forward.

One lowered their head and opened a corridor, walking inside.

“Xion, wait!” he yelled, running over, only to be blocked by the other figure. “Rrgh... Get out of the way!”

The figure said nothing but ran off.

“Hey!”

“Roxas, wait up!” Axel yelled, but Roxas didn’t stop.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“I thought the impostor was sighted in Castle Oblivion! What's he doing here?” Axel growled as he caught up, for someone who’d passed out he sure was fast.

“Xion...” Roxas whispered, and Axel stared at him.

“Ain't no way that was Xion!” he denied.

“The other one was. The one who escaped before. But...I don't get it. Why would she run from me?” Roxas asked softly.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

She was hidden around the corner, listening to them. She looked up as Riku joined her.

“You want to go back?” he offered gently.

Xion said nothing, just watching them until they left.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas appeared in his chair, finding their superior alone. “I need to ask you something.”

“And what would that be?”

“What happened to Xion? Can you tell me?” He asked, if anyone knew, surely it was him.

“Put your mind at ease. Xion is a valued member of the Organization, but she needs her rest.”

Roxas sat quietly, thinking about the conversation at The Dark Margin. “...Sora,” he whispered the name Xemnas had said that day. “Who is Sora?”

“He's the connection.”

“The what?” he didn’t understand…then again he didn’t understand a lot of what went on.

“He is what makes you and Xion a part of each other's lives. Just as he is the reason I placed Xion among our number. And if you want her to stay that way, I must insist you get your mind off these needless distractions. I will have Xion return to her duties tomorrow. Today, you must focus on yours,” he explained and Roxas wondered if he was imagining the threat or if it was there.

“All right,” he agreed and vanished.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Oh no...” Naminé stared in horror at the display.

“What has happened?” DiZ demanded.

“It's Sora... His memory has stopped,” she admitted.

“Stopped?”

“Unless something is done, he'll never wake from his slumber,” it was true enough. He might be able to wake without the memories…but without Roxas he would succumb almost instantly to what he had become.

“Then so be it. The gloves must come off.”

“But...what'll happen to...” the idea of condemning Roxas and Xion was not one she liked.

“Those Nobodies had no business existing in the first place…as you know fully well, Naminé.”

“Yes...” she whispered, fighting the urge to flinch away from him. She knew he saw her the same way, that as soon as Sora woke she would be disposable.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“End of the line,” Roxas commented as they entered the chamber inside the Cave of Wonders.

“I remember this...” she whispered, walking towards a wall.

“Huh?”

“It's a keyhole. See?” She touched the wall and then swayed as she say a flash of Sora sealing the Agrabah Keyhole. She felt faint, but Roxas caught her.

“You okay?” he asked in concern as he steadied her.

“Y-yeah...” she looked into his eyes. “You look so much like him.”

“...What?” he stared at her in confusion but then they darted apart as a Heartless appeared.

She threw herself into the fight, shocked to find it so easy, even as Roxas lagged behind. “H-how... How did I just do that? Where did that power come from?” she asked dazedly before seeing Roxas leaning exhaustedly against the wall. “Roxas?” She ran over to him. “Hey, are you all right?”

“Yeah... Using the Keyblade these days... I don't know what's wrong with me…I just run out of steam.”

“You...you do?” she asked shakily. Was that…her fault? Was her existence hurting him too?

“You know what, never mind. I'm probably just overworked, heh.”

“You sure you're okay?” she pushed and he grinned.

“'Course I am. C'mon, Xion, let's RTC.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku stumbled, falling to one knee. There were too many…. He had to… he took a deep breath and reached up to the blindfold.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Still no Heartless. Where is this thing hiding, anyway?” Roxas muttered and then leapt back as an Orcus appeared out of nowhere. “Wh-what!? How could it get this close to me without me noticing?”

He summoned his Keyblade and fought the Heartless. Even blow after blow, the Heartless seemed unfazed. “It's...it's too powerful. I've gotta finish this now, before it wears me down any further. It's all or nothing...”

He gasped at a flash and then sound of flames. Suddenly Axel was there, blocking Roxas’ attack with a chakram, the other blocking…Xion?

“STOP, both of you!” he yelled.

“Xion!?” Roxas stared at her in confusion.

“Roxas? Wh...what are you doing here? The Heartless I was fighting--it was you?” she stammered in horror, backing away.

“This mission was a setup,” told them firmly.

“What?” he demanded.

“It was rigged so you two would battle each other.”

“Me and Xion? But...”

“They would do that?” she asked.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku leant against the wall, watching Naminé and DiZ. He didn’t trust the man as far as she could throw him, but for now they needed him.

“Sora...” she murmured, getting both of their attention, DiZ approaching while Riku remained where he was.

“It appears we've come to a standstill.”

“Yes,” she nodded.

“This has gone on long enough. Riku...” DiZ looked at him. “I think you know what needs to be done.”

Riku sighed inaudibly, knowing what he would have to do, there was no choice anymore. “Right,” he agreed. He looked towards the pod, unable to see Sora because of the material it was made of and the fluid he was suspended in. He nodded at Naminé and then left the room to gather what he would need.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Xigbar knocked her attack aside. “Ha ha! Talk about a blast from the past,” he laughed.

Xion was poised and ready to fight, Keyblade out.

“Cut it out, Xion!” Axel yelled at her even as Xigbar summoned his arrowguns.

“Of all the faces... Why do I look at her and see yours?” Xigbar asked, and Axel wondered what he was talking about. “Do you always have to stare at me like I just drowned your goldfish?”

“Shut up!” Xion yelled.

Axel could only watch as Xion stamped a foot on the ground, becoming invisible. Xigbar looked around furiously but was hit by Xion's swift leftside appearance. Xigbar fell to the ground, and Xion dispelled her Keyblade, opening a corridor.

She hesitated at the opening. “Axel, I'm sorry.”

“Have you flipped your lid?” he demanded. It had been bad enough fighting her once, he didn’t want to do it again.

“Please...let me go. I have to do this, or else - Look.” She pulled her hood down and all he could do was gasp, staring with wide eyes.

“What the...” he couldn’t finish as she pulled her hood back on.

“Please, Axel. You have to take care of Roxas,” she begged, and he swallowed.

“But how are you...gonna...”

“Please!” She asked again, and he hesitated but then nodded towards the Corridor because what else could he do? “Thank you,” she whispered before running in, the Corridor closing behind her.

Would he ever see her again? What was he going to tell Roxas? He shook his head and looked at Xigbar, groaning before going to get him. He’d never dreamed she’d be able to defeat him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Xion arrived on the Bridge of Beast's Castle and saw Riku waiting for her, much to her relief. “Riku!”

“Did you find the right answer?” he asked, head tilted to the side. Could he actually see through that blindfold?

“Yeah, I did,” right or wrong, there was no other choice now. “I'm on the verge of losing everything I ever cared about. I can't let that happen. Tell me what I need to do.”

“Go to Twilight Town. You'll find a girl there by the name of Naminé,” he explained and she was surprised she wasn’t going with him.

“Naminé? What's she like?” she asked curiously.

“You'll find out. I don't think you'll have much trouble tracking her down,” he smiled gently at her.

“All right. Thanks, Riku. Good-bye...”

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé bowed her head, Xion was gone, taken by the Organisation. What could they do now? Who knew when Riku would return, especially since he thought they had Xion. If only they had a reliable way to contact him. And what would they do to Xion? It wasn’t the first time she’d run off after all. As much as she didn’t like it, if they killed her then the memories would be freed to return to Sora.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Mickey walked through the woods of Twilight Town. He was worried because of what he’d heard from his old Master, because he hadn’t seen Riku in far too long, and because his most trusted friends were still asleep. He missed them, he missed Minnie too. He stopped as he saw a tall black coated figure, too tall for Riku. He watched warily as the figure reached for their hood, revealing a man with long white hair and yellow eyes. He flipped back to gain space and summoned his Keyblade, but the man made no move to attack.

They stared at each other for a few minutes, anticipating the other's next move. The man then shocked him by raising his hands and placing a blindfold over his eyes. His body was immediately covered by a dark aura which slowly seemed to sink into him. His body began to change form, growing younger, and his hair turned to silver.

Mickey stared in surprise. “Riku?” he asked hesitantly, and the boy tilted his head slightly. Mickey dispelled his Keyblade and walked closer.

“Your Majesty,” Riku said, and Mickey relaxed, it really was him.

“Gosh, have I been worried about you! Where've you been all this time?”

“Searching, for a way to conquer the darkness within me while we wait for Sora to awaken,” he answered.

“For a second there, you looked just like...well, you know...” Mickey pressed, worried about that. Riku wasn’t possessed anymore, so how? Unless…no, Riku had defeated him.

Riku’s lips twitched in an attempt to smile. “You don't have to worry. I'm getting the hang of keeping the Darkness under control.”

“That's great to hear. But, you said that Sora hasn't woken up yet... Did something go wrong?”

“There's a reason the Organization has been quiet since our battle at Castle Oblivion, and it's not because we weakened their numbers. What they tried to do to Sora and I back there…the point wasn't just to take our memories apart. They went out of their way to make it hard to put back together. I’m lucky Naminé managed to fix mine as quickly as she did.”

“Gosh, I guess that explains things. It's almost like they're trying to buy some time...”

“Exactly. They want Sora's memories...which means Naminé isn't the only one picking up the pieces. And as long as they've got their hands on Sora's most precious memories, the ones of Kairi, I don't think Sora will recover,” Riku admitted sadly.

“Well, then you have to let me help! Maybe I could get the memories back!” It had been bad enough to see Sora unconscious in the Realm of Darkness. They had to get his memories back and not just because he was a Keyblade Wielder, no one deserved what had been done to him!

“I've got that covered, Your Maj…I mean, Mickey. Maybe you could do me a favour, though.”

There was something in Riku’s tone that he didn’t like…but he couldn’t turn him down. “Sure. Just tell me what you need.”

“I have to face one of the Organization's members soon. I might not survive the fight. And if I do, it might only be because I gave in to the Darkness,” Riku admitted, covered eyes looking away from him. “That means you're the only one who will be there for Sora, Donald, and Goofy…the only one who can guide them when they awaken.”

“Don't say that, Riku,” he refused to believe that Riku would lose himself to the Darkness again.

“Promise me, Mickey. You have to be there for our friends,” Riku pleaded, and Mickey sighed sadly, nodding.

“Of course, Riku. I promise,” he said since Riku wouldn’t have been able to see his nod. He just hoped it wasn’t a promise he’d have to keep.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas woke and sat up, staring out the window before taking out his journal.

_It's all just too much... Xion was part of that Replica Program. Made to copy my Keyblade... And when she left us, Axel helped her. Like he wanted her to go. If he knew, why did he wait so long to tell me? Is it because I'm the same thing? Xion and I are both special Nobodies. What if they made me, too? Xemnas said...Sora was what connects her and me. But who's Sora? And who am I to him? Axel knows. I'll bet he's been sitting on all kinds of secrets this whole time. He doesn't even have the guts to tell me the truth about me..._

He left his room to find the only friend he had left…if they were still friends? “Axel.”

“Hey, Roxas,” he was a lot quieter than normal.

They stood in silence for a moment.

“You find Xion?” he asked carefully.

“Like it's gonna be that easy,” Axel snorted.

“I know...”

Axel said nothing and Roxas looked away.

“Have you been keeping the truth about her from me this whole time?” he demanded.

Axel hesitated before sighing. “...Not the whole time.”

“When did you find out?” he crossed his arms, looking at him again.

“Oh, I dunno. Somewhere along the way,” Axel shrugged.

“Didn't get it memorized, huh? Axel... Who am I, really?” he pleaded for answers but his friend kept quiet. “I'm special, like Xion. I know that,” he pushed but still nothing. “But the Organization wanted me out of the picture.”

“Yeah... They did,” Axel admitted.

“Is it because Xion copied by Keyblade and they didn't need me anymore?” he demanded, but Axel was quiet again. “And you feel the same way.” That got a reaction as Axel stared at him.

“No, you've got that part wrong. You'll always be my best friend.”

“Best friends are honest with each other! Who am I, Axel?” he struggled not to yell and Axel looked away. “Xemnas said me and Xion are connected to Sora. Who is that? Tell me! Am I a puppet like Xion?” It hurt so much that Axel was keeping things back from him, especially about himself!

“No...” Axel shook his head but was it the truth?

“What, then?” Didn’t Axel understand? He had to know what he was before it drove him mad.

“You really think the truth is going to make you feel better? It won't.”

“What makes you so sure? I have a right to know who I am! How did I get here? Why am I special? Where did I learn to use the Keyblade? I deserve those answers!”

“Roxas...”

Roxas sighed and turned away, going to a window. “Are you gonna tell me or not? Axel... Who am I?”

“You've just gotta trust me, Roxas.”

He turned around, staring at the one person he’d thought he could trust no matter what. If he had a heart…it’d be breaking. “I don't.”

“Hey, c'mon...” Axel pleaded.

“If I can't get answers here, I'll get them somewhere else. Somebody knows where I came from. That'll be the person I trust.” He left, going back to his room, picking up the winning popsicle stick. “I tried, but...there's nothing left for me here. The answers are out there.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Axel walked through the city, relieved to not see Roxas…yet. He leant against a wall he’d have to pass if he really went through with it, and settled in to walk. It didn’t take long for him to hear footsteps approaching and he lowered his head. “Your mind's made up?” he asked as Roxas went to walk passed him, the blond stopping.

“Why did the Keyblade choose me? I have to know,” Roxas answered.

“You can't turn on the Organization!” Axel yelled. “You get on their bad side, and they'll destroy you!” He was going to lose one of them, he couldn’t lose both.

“No one would miss me,” Roxas scoffed, walking away.

“That's not true...” he whispered, watching him go, “I would.” He didn’t understand how, but it hurt to see him walk away.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku punched a wall, struggling to contain his frustration. She’d been right there! Xion had been in the mansion and now she weas gone again. He had to find her and then Roxas, he had to, before it was too late. He didn’t know what would happen to him if he gave in to the Darkness, would he still remember himself? Or would he become Ansem fully? If he did…would he still want to wake Sora?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas climbed up to the clock tower and sat down, looking out over the town sadly before chuckling weakly. “Where did I think I could go? What a joke,” he scoffed before burying his head in his arms. He started as someone sat beside him and then stared with wide eyes as the hood was lowered. “Xion!”

She handed him an ice cream bar silently and he smiled softly)

“Thank you.” They sat, eating their ice cream and just enjoying the sunset together, like it should always be.

“Roxas...I'm out of time,” she whispered, and he looked over at her in confusion. She stood up and took her hood off. Roxas' eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “Even if I'm not ready...I have to make this choice. You have poured so many memories into me...given me so much...that I feel like I'm about to overflow. Look at me, Roxas. Who do you see? If you see somebody else's face...a boy's face...then that means I'm almost ready. This puppet will have to play her part. Roxas... This is him. It's Sora,” she told him.

Roxas was speechless, he didn’t understand what she meant…why she looked like a boy who felt so familiar.

Xion walked off into the air, remaining suspended somehow. She put her hood back on and faced him so he scrambled to his feet. “You're next, Roxas. I have to make you a part of me, too.” She held out her hand and dark tendrils moved around her. “Don't you see? This is why I was created.”

No he didn’t see, all he knew was he had to save her, to get her back somehow.

,,,,,,,,,,,

Xion fell to her knees, the darkness wrapping around her. She looked up at him, almost able to see as something snapped in Roxas’ mind, even as he fell forward. The barrier weakened and shattered like glass, spilling both of them to the ground. At least she would die as herself, her body back to how she felt it should be. She stayed on her knees as he walked towards her, holding his head.

“Who are you...again? It's weird. I feel like I'm forgetting something really important,” he told her, and it hurt, but it was for the best.

“You'll be...better off now...Roxas,” she told him, trying to smile. She collapsed, and Roxas caught her in his arms. She started to splinter, small shards of memory float out of her body.

“Am I...the one who did this to you?” he asked, eyes wide, almost…innocent.

“No... It was my choice...to go away now. Better that, than to do nothing...and let Xemnas have his way. I belong with Sora. And now, I am going back...to be with him. Roxas...” she forced herself to move, to place her hand on his. “I need you...to do me a favour. All those hearts that I've captured... Kingdom Hearts... Set them free.”

“Kingdom Hearts... Free them?” he asked in confusion.

Xion felt her leg start to become crystalline and he gasped as he saw it. She was glad she couldn’t, and at least it didn’t hurt. She felt…numb really. At least he was there, even if he couldn’t remember her fully, she wasn’t alone.

“It's too late...for me to undo my mistakes. But you can't let Xemnas...have Kingdom Hearts. You can't. Good-bye, Roxas,” she managed a small smile. “See you again. I'm glad...I got to meet you. Oh...and of course, Axel, too. You're both my best friends.” She lifted her hand weakly to his cheek. “Never forget. That's the truth.”

She lay in his arms, staring at his face until she couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore, her hands dropping.

“No! Xion... Who else will I have ice cream with?” she heard him plead from a distance, happy that at the end someone said her name even though it had to be hurting her.

The crystal enveloped her entire body and she was bathed in warm light until all that remained was a seashell. Roxas touched it and remembered her smiling face as they sat on the clock tower together.

“Xion,” he choked, tears falling from his eyes, but she was beyond hearing him, scattered memories making their way back to the sleeping boy in his pod.

,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé bowed her head as the progress bar jumped. “Thank you, Xion,” she whispered sadly.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku stood on the roof, watching as Roxas fought off the Heatless with two Keyblades. How? He was doing well but…he was badly outnumbered. Roxas jumped to the side of the building and ran up the length of it, striking down more Neoshadows as they followed him upward relentlessly. Roxas tossed one of the Keyblades up towards him so Riku dove off the building, grasping the blade. He gasped from the flood of memories of Xion pouring into his mind. Flashes of a wounded Xion on a Bridge, and in his arms on an Island.

Riku and Roxas passed each other over the large video screen, that was just a big box of white light to Riku. Riku landed, dropping to a knee, clutching his head even as Heartless appeared around him. A Neoshadow lunged for him, but he leapt to his feet and struck it down. The Roxas was at his back and they were fighting seamlessly together…like he could with Sora. As the last fell they turned toward each other and jumped backwards.

“Who are you?” Roxas demanded. So much for hoping he would recognise and remember him from Sora’s memories. He’d hoped after Roxas had given him the Keyblade and had fought at his side that he did, that he would want to go back.

“What does it matter? I'm here for you,” he told him firmly, his memories of Xion flickering.

“Why are you trying to stop me?” the Nobody snapped.

“Because I want back the rest of Sora's memories.”

“Sora, Sora, Sora! Enough about Sora!”

“Do you have some kind of plan?” he asked, if it was something that would work, he could help him and then maybe Roxas would be willing to listen.

“I'm going to set Kingdom Hearts free! Then everything can go back to the way it was! Me, and Axel, and...and her can go on having ice cream together,” Roxas yelled, and Riku bit back a sigh, there went that plan.

He stared down at the Keyblade in his hand. “Her? You mean Xion? It's a struggle just to remember the name now, isn't it? Either way, I can't let you go doing anything crazy,” he warned him.

“I have to find this Sora person, and freeing Kingdom Hearts is the only way! I want Xion back. I want my life back!”

“If you try and make contact with Kingdom Hearts, the last thing you'll get is your life back. The Organization will destroy you. If you want to see Sora, then come with me, I’ll take you to him right now.”

“Shut up!”

Roxas attacked Riku and he found himself on the defensive. Maybe he should have led with taking him to Sora. Riku leapt away from him, breathing heavily. “Why!? Why do you have the Keyblade?” he pushed.

“Shut up!”

Roxas attacked Riku, but Riku knocked him away, hearing him hit the ground hard, the Keyblade tossed from his hand. Riku walked up to the body of Roxas and slammed his Keyblade into the ground. He stood there for a moment, sad that they’d had to fight, it had been too much like fighting Sora again.

He gasped as Roxas struggled to get up, using the Oblivion for support. He stood and pulled it out of the ground, running at Riku, who shot a Dark Firaga spell at him. Roxas blasted through the spell and lunged at Riku, who jumped away.

“Why don't you quit?”

Riku hesitated but then held his hand out, relaxing his stance. “Come on, Sora. I thought you were stronger than that,” he taunted teasingly.

“Huh? Get real! Look which one of us is winning,” the return hurt to hear, it sounded so much like Sora, even Roxas’ voice sounded different. He could see Roxas press his hand to his throat, obviously shocked by his own response.

“So it's true. You really are his Nobody. Guess DiZ was right after all,” he said, hoping to rouse his curiosity.

“What are you talking about? I am me! Nobody else!” Roxas summoned both Keyblades and ran to strike him again.

Riku dodged the first attack, but missed the second block, taking the hit to his arm, feeling something snap, pain almost overwhelming him for a second, driving him to his knees. 

_‘Riku, please! You have to stop him!’_

That voice was familiar…but he couldn’t place it.

“How many times do I have to beat you?” Roxas demanded

Riku struggled to stand, holding his arm weakly. “All right. You've left me with no other choice.”

“What?” Roxas seemed to be staring at him.

“I have to release the power in my heart – “ He stood and took off his blindfold, letting it fall to the ground. He didn’t want to do it…but there was no other way, he had to do this. “The dark power that I've been holding back. Even...if it changes me forever.” He let out a scream as pillars of dark energy surrounded him. ‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered in his heart as the Darkness swallowed him.

Roxas readied his Keyblades once again.

As the energy cleared it revealed the body of a white-haired man and his Guardian counterpart, hovering in the air. Riku teleported in front of Roxas and the Guardian grabbed him by the torso and arms, forcing him to drop his Keyblades. They clattered to the ground

and vanished as Roxas gasped.

“I have accepted it,” he said in Ansem’s voice as Roxas went limp, unconscious.

The Guardian released him, setting him almost gently on the ground. He dismissed it, moving to stand over Roxas, staring down at him. He sensed a Corridor of Darkness opening and turned his back to it, pulling up his hood.

“DiZ...he could feel Sora,” he said, knowing who had stepped through.

“Oh, he told you how he "felt," did he? Ridiculous. A Nobody cannot feel anything,” the man scoffed…but Riku didn’t believe him.

“If he had met Sora, things might have been different.”

_‘Roxas, don't be sad. I came from you and Sora. I am you...the same way that I am Sora. You'll forget me, but the memories themselves will never go away. Memories of you and me will always be together...forever, inside him.’_

Riku moved and picked Roxas up as DiZ opened another Corridor. He walked through, the boy feeling like he weighed nothing to his altered form. He glanced down as he walked, Roxas looked so peaceful and innocent. If only things could have gone differently….

_TBC…_

_Massive chapter but wanted to finish that part of the games. A lot of the game here but I wanted to try and get in their heads as things were happening._


	9. ch9

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 9**

Naminé was relieved when the Corridor opened and DiZ walked out with Roxas’ limp form, she may not like him but he was still a better option than say Saïx. And then another form followed him out and she tensed, it was far too tall for Riku and yet…the figure turned its head away as the Corridor shut, as if….ashamed. She watched them move into the underground part of the manor and returned to her room, not wanting to watch.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas sat slumped against the wall, underneath the machine as he walked closer, staring at the Nobody. It was strange but he looked far less like Sora than Naminé did Kairi. Why? “Will it work?” he found himself asking, fighting the urge to flinch from the sound of his own voice. He wasn’t Ansem, he wasn’t.

“If we can maintain the simulated town until Naminé finishes chaining together Sora's memories,” DiZ informed him, staring coldly at Roxas, and Riku fought the urge to call Soul Eater and deal with him. Roxas was part of Sora and he would not let anything happen to any part of him.

“What will happen to Roxas?” he asked.

“He holds half of Sora's power within him. In the end, he'll have to give it back.” DiZ turned and walked toward the set of monitors. “Until then, he'll need another personality to throw off his pursuers.”

He grimaced, that sounded too close to things that had happened to him. “Poor thing,” he whispered.

DiZ sat down and punched in some keys. “It's the fate of a Nobody.”

The machine started up, Riku stepping back to ensure he was well out of range, watching as a light scanned over the black clad body, changing Roxas into data and then he was gone. “Sorry,” he whispered too softly for DiZ to hear.

He hesitated, wanting to check on Sora, but he couldn’t do it, heading upstairs and to the bedroom he had claimed despite barely using it. He stepped into the bathroom and stood in front of the cracked mirror. His hands went to the hood and he hesitated, not sure if he really wanted to look or not. He took a deep breath and yanked it down, feeling sick as he took in his changed face, gripping the sink.

“You’re still you,” a soft voice told him, and he turned away, trying to hide. He felt a hand on his arm, urging him to turn back around. “Riku please.”

Unable to say no to her, he turned around, meeting soft blue eyes. Naminé smiled and presser her hand to his cheek. “I…” he swallowed.

“You won’t lose yourself to the Darkness, Riku. I know you won’t,” she told him. “Sora and Kairi need you so you won’t.”

“I can’t let them see me like this,” he told her.

“Do you really doubt them that much? They’ll see you, no matter what form you are in,” she chided and he wanted her to be right, but how could he hurt them by appearing in the form of their enemy? She sighed and left him alone.

Riku turned the light off and stripped to shower. One good thing had come of the change to his body, it seemed to have healed the injury Roxas had given him since he hadn’t had the chance to heal it back there.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Xemnas stared up at his Kingdom Hearts, it was not yet complete. For that, they needed a Keyblade Wielder. With luck, the could bring Roxas back into the fold, but even if Sora did awaken, as the hero of the Keyblade, he was bound to keep unlocking hearts. If he should come to target them, they would simply subdue him and use his powers themselves once more. He had to become one with Kingdom Hearts, to become a higher existence. All of his true ambitions would begin there.

Somehow, Roxas had vanished completely, but he knew who was involved. The boy was fighting to get his friend back from his sleep. A pity they had not been able to get him on side at Castle Oblivion, he’d already fallen to Darkness once after all. And he knew the boy had potential when it came to the Keyblade, the blade he currently wielded was not one, not yet. Perhaps things were for the best, Roxas had become too stubborn, too inquisitive. Sora would be much easier to lead around.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé stared at Sora, wondering if he could hear them when they spoke, if he was dreaming or not. She couldn’t tell, despite her powers. “I wish you were here,” she admitted softly. “Riku…he’s changing and not for the better. He needs you Sora. The things he is willing to do to get you back,” she closed her eyes. “You are his Light, whether he admits it or not. Even I don’t know what you’ll remember when you wake, you may remember nothing after becoming a Heartless, you may remember some or all…I hope you remember enough to help him.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas woke, sitting up to look out his bedroom window, pensive. “Another dream about him...” why was he dreaming about some weird boy he didn’t know?

He heard the bells ring at the Clock Tower and he opened the window to watch the eternal sunset. He got up and dressed before leaving, running through the streets of Twilight Town.

“Maybe...today we'll finally hit the beach!” he grinned as he ran to their usual spot, looking forward to the trip. They only had seven days to go, and then summer vacation was over.

“Man, doesn't that tick you off?” Hayner’s complaint was the first thing he heard.

“Yeah, that's just wrong,” Pence added as Roxas walked in to flop down on the couch.

“Seifer's gone too far this time,” Olette crossed her arms, obviously upset.

They look over at Roxas, who only nodded since he didn’t actually know what they were complaining about. Still, blaming Seifer was a pretty safe bet.

Hayner jumped off his seat. “I mean, it's true that stuff's been stolen around town. And we've got a score to settle with Seifer and everything. So if he wants to think we did it, I can't really blame him. See...that's not what really bugs me. What really bugs me is that he's goin' around tellin' everybody we're the thieves! Now the whole town and their mothers are treating us like the Klepto Club! Have you ever been this ticked off before in your life? 'Cause I haven't. Nuh-uh, never. Now...what to do.”

Okay…that explained their anger, and now he was angry too. They weren’t thieves! How dare Seifer accuse them! Olette looked over at him, obviously searching for ideas and he thought it over quickly. “Uh...well... We could find the real thieves. That would set the record straight,” he offered after a second, unable to think of anything else, except beating Seifer into taking it back, but that probably wouldn’t actually help them.

“Hey that sounds fun!” Pence grinned at him.

“What about Seifer?” Hayner demanded, arms crossed, glaring at him.

Roxas stood up as well. “First, we gotta clear our names. Once we find the real culprit, everyone will get off our backs.”

Hayner growled slightly, it was pretty clear he wanted to beat a confession out of Seifer too.

“Oh no! They're gone!” Pence’s cry stopped them before they could argue, everyone looking towards him. He held up his camera in dismay. “Our ---- are gone!” he put a hand to his throat at his inability to say 'photos'. “What?”

“All our ----, gone? Huh?” Hayner’s eyes went wide in shock.

“Huh? You can't say ----? Why not?” Olette asked only to freeze as she realised she couldn’t say the word either.

“But you do understand what I'm saying, right? Our ---- are gone!” Pence asked and they all nodded.

“Stolen... And not just the ----. The word ----! They stole it too!” Roxas grimaced at not being able to say the word either, it just felt….weird and uncomfortable. He knew what he wanted to say, it just didn’t happen.

“What kinda thief is that? Seifer could never have pulled that off,” Hayner grumbled, upset that Seifer wasn’t to blame. They stood quietly for a minute, but none of them had any idea. “All right, time for some recon!” Hayner, Olette, and Pence ran off to try and find out what was going on.

Roxas began to follow, then became dizzy. He pressed a hand to his head, the other reaching for something to steady himself with. “Huh?” the room spun and he felt himself falling, everything going black.

_“His heart is returning. Doubtless he'll awaken very soon.”_

Roxas woke up on the ground and stood up, dusting himself off, looking around in confusion. “Huh?” Who was that voice? There was no one there. He nearly jumped as Olette pushed passed the old bit of cloth over the entrance.

“Roxas, come on,” she told him, and he nodded, putting it out of his mind.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He glanced at the screen, relieved to see the words on it: Restoration at 89%. Much better than before.

“Organization miscreants... They've found us,” DiZ growled, frustrated.

“But...why would the Nobodies steal photographs?” that made no sense at all.

“Both are nothing but data to them. The fools could never tell the difference. We are running out of time. Naminé must make haste.”

He nodded and left to find her. He stumbled, bracing himself with a hand on the wall, head spinning briefly. He took a deep breath and straightened up as the spell passed. He hadn’t told anyone but he thought she knew. There were times…when he wasn’t sure who he was anymore.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas woke up in his room, shaking his head, trying to push the dreams away. “A key...blade?” he whispered, it felt…important. He got up and dressed before heading out to meet the others. “A Keyblade...” he couldn’t get it out of his head.

He saw a stick leaning against a wall and swung it around like it was a sword. “What was that about?” He tossed it over his head and it hit someone wearing a black cloak in the chest. “Oh!” the person didn’t pause, walking away down the steps. “Sorry... about that...” he called weakly. That coat…he shook his head and turned away.

Roxas walked into the Usual Spot to find Hayner, Pence, and Olette already sitting enjoying some sea-salt ice cream. Hayner tossed him one and he sat down to eat it. “Thanks.”

“Do you guys think we'll always be together like this?” Pence suddenly asked out of the blue.

“I sure hope so,” Olette smiled, glancing at Hayner, and Roxas smothered a grin.

“Huh? Where did that come from?” Hayner looked at them in confusion.

“Oh, well, you know. Just thinking out loud,” Pence shrugged, taking a bite out of his ice cream.

“Well, I doubt we can be together forever. But isn't that what growing up's all about? What's important isn't how often we see each other, but how often we think about each other. Right?” Hayner asked, and they all stared at him in shock before Pence laughed.

“Get that off a fortune cookie?”

“That's it, no more ice cream for you! Man, today's turning out to be a drag,” Hayner groaned, throwing himself back theatrically.

“Maybe because of yesterday's memory thief,” Olette shrugged.

“Nuh-uh. You know what it is? We don't want summer vacation to be over. That's all! So, how about this?” Hayner stood up and grinned. “We all go to the beach! And why do we go to the beach? Because we haven't gone once this entire vacation! Blue seas! Blue skies! Let's just get on the train and go!” None of them said a word. “No? Aw, c'mon!”

“Maybe you forgot, but we're broke,” Roxas pointed out the obvious flaw in his plan.

“Maybe you forgot I'm smart!” Hayner shot back.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He watched the group approach, hiding in the shadows. Two of them ran ahead into the station.

“We can't be together forever... so we'd better make the time we do have something to remember,” the remaining boy said, and he had to admit, the programming behind them was incredibly realistic.

“Huh?” Roxas stared at his ‘friend’ who laughed.

“Gotcha!” he jokingly punched Roxas in the stomach and joined the other three.

Roxas followed but he moved in, tripping the boy. “Whoa!” Roxas grunted slightly, getting to his knees and touching his lip. That was when Roxas noticed him standing beside him, looking up with no recognition. “Huh?”

He lifted Roxas off the ground and leant in close. “Can you feel Sora?” he asked in a whisper.

“What?” The Nobody asked in confusion, and Riku let him go, slipping into the shadows to watch.

“Roxas! Three minutes!” the tallest boy yelled.

“Okay!” Roxas looked back but obviously couldn’t see him.

He looked down at the pouch he’d been instructed to steal before slipping it into his coat, leaving the digital world. It felt…strange, and he didn’t like it.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

DiZ glared at the numbers on the screen: Restoration at 92%. “Naminé, hurry.” He heard the boy approach and glanced back to see him juggling the munny pouch.

“Is it really that hard to make a beach?” he asked, hood concealing his face as always now.

“We'd be giving the enemy another entry point,” DiZ pointed out, besides why waste the time and effort on something that would soon cease to exist?

“And this?” He held out the pouch.

“We can always buy some sea-salt ice cream,” he suggested before laughing. “Objects from that town must be kept out of the real world. You can delete that.”

He could keep himself totally covered, but DiZ knew that voice, was aware of the boys’ history. His foolish apprentice was behind everything.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He leant against the counter, breathing heavily, staring at his image in the broken mirror. Who…who was he? Ansem…or Riku? He splashed cold water over his face, trying to wake up more, to hold on to who he was.

“Riku? Are you alright?” Naminé called from outside and he drew his hood up, leaving the tiny bathroom.

“I’m fine,” he answered after opening his door, taking in how much paler she had become, and she had already been too pale. “You should get some rest.”

“I,” she started but he reached out and guided her over to his own bed.

“No argument, sleep Naminé.”

She pouted at him but lay down and he settled into the chair with a book to ensure she stayed and rested. It was like watching over Sora when he was sick or hurt and didn’t want to rest.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He saw a blond girl standing in front of a pod in a white room. “Who are you?”

The girl turned around and smiled.

Roxas jerked awake in his room, seeing something out of the corner of his eye but when he turned there was nothing there. “Huh...?” Was he going crazy? 

Roxas left home and walked into the Usual Spot, seeing a letter on the couch.

‘Meet at the station. Today's the day we hit the beach--and don't sweat about

the munny! – Hayner’

Roxas left and headed for the road to the station, only to spot Olette and Pence along the way. “Hey.”

“Morning,” she lifted a hand and then they both froze mid-step.

“Huh...?” Roxas ran up to them but was suddenly stopped by the girl from his dream.

“Hello, Roxas,” she smiled at him.

“Uh... Hi... And you are...?”

She held up a hand to quiet him. “I wanted to meet you at least once.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you,” she said and then walked away.

As she did, his friends unfroze and kept walking as if nothing had happened.

“Olette dragged me along to go shopping,” Pence grumbled.

“Hey, you wanna come with us?”

“Um, uhh, wait... did you just see that...” he looked at where the girl had vanished.

“He's stalling,” Pence rolled his eyes.

“Very well, then. We'll see you later, Roxas, okay?” Olette offered, and Roxas nodded shakily.

“Y-Yeah...” he agreed, watching them leave.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé pulled Roxas form the Darkness and into a digital version of her room in the mansion. Before he could speak, Naminé placed a finger to her lips, they didn’t have much time. “My name is Naminé. Roxas... Do you remember your true name?”

Roxas didn’t respond before she was grabbed and in a second she knew, he was more Ansem then Riku at the moment because Riku was never so rough with her. “Say no more, Naminé,” he warned harshly.

“But if no one tells him, Roxas will...” she tried to argue for him to be told but she knew it was pointless at the moment.

“It's best he doesn't know the truth.”

“Hey! You're that pickpocket!” Roxas yelled, looking mad but also wary.

Riku held out a hand and conjured a dark portal behind Roxas who leapt away from it. It didn’t work though as Riku simply pushed him through.

“Riku you’re hurting me!” she told him, and he froze before releasing her, backing away. “Riku?” she called softly now, and he shook his head, a hand half raised to keep her away. She hated seeing him like that, knowing the daily struggle he went through to keep his own identity.

“I…” he stared at her, and she smiled softly.

“It’s alright,” she promised, reaching out to take his hand. “You would never purposely hurt me.

“Naminé…”

“Take me back, Riku.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

As Roxas went in for one last strike, something stopped him, and Roxas noticed that everything had frozen in time. Vivi suddenly turned one of those strange white things, more appearing. “Again!?” he held the bat since it was his only defence, only to stare as it changed again into the weird sword thing….the Keyblade. “Again...” he whispered before glaring at the things and attacking. It wasn’t an easy fight and he was tired when they finally all vanished.

He looked up at clapping to see a cloaked man clapping behind him. He looked a bit like the guy who took their munny at the station, but also different.

“Roxas. All right. Fight, fight, fight,” he cheered, walking closer. “You really don't remember? It's me. You know, Axel.” The man removed his hood, showing his flaming red hair.

“Axel?” he frowned, he didn’t know that name…did he?

“Talk about blank with a capital "B." Man oh man, even the Dusks aren't gonna crack this one,” he said, confusing Roxas even more. He leapt back as fiery weapons appeared in Axel’s hands.

“Wait a sec, tell me what's going on!” he demanded, why was all of this happening to him/

Axel looked around. “This town is his creation, right? Which means we don't have time for a Q & A. You're coming with me, conscious or not. Then you'll hear the story,” Axel readied for a fight, and Roxas hesitated, staring at him.

It felt…wrong to fight him, but why? He looked around as a strange presence flew around him.

Axel straightened up. “Uh-oh.”

Roxas sighed and looked at the Keyblade. He threw it down in frustration. “What's going ON!?” he yelled. He nearly jumped as it appeared back in his hand with a flash of light.

“Number 13. Roxas. The Keyblade's chosen one,” Axel stated, but that wasn’t helpful at all! He readied for a fight and Roxas grimaced but took a stance too.

“Okay, fine! You asked for it!”

“That's more like it!” Axel laughed, smirking at him as flames leapt up around them, trapping him on the struggle platform with the redhead.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Not bad, Roxas,” Axel admitted. They may have screwed with the kids memory but it seemed they hadn’t erased his skills. It wasn’t right to make him forget! Not when he hadn’t had any memories for so long. He looked over as a red clad man appeared, grimacing at the sight. “So it was you.” He tossed his chakram flying at the man but it didn’t hit.

“Roxas, this man speaks nonsense!”

“Roxas, don't let him deceive you!” Axel looked back at his friend, seeing his confusion as he looked between them. When Roxas covered his ears and shouted for his digital ‘friends’…it hurt. And the Axel was booted out of the digital town, landing hard in the real world, glaring at nothing.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas sat on the clock tower with his friends, holding the crystal trophy. He took off the yellow crystal and tossed it to Olette, tossing the red and green ones to Hayner and Pence. He then popped out his own blue one and held it up to the sun. “As promised,” he grinned.

Pence also held his out. “Thanks a ton, Roxas!”

“One more treasure for us to share,” Hayner agreed, raising his, Olette following suit.

“I've got a present, too...for all of us.” She took out four bars of sea-salt ice cream.

“Whoa!” Hayner cheered.

Roxas stood up on the ledge and teetered on the edge. He lost his balance and

fell.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi walked down the path to the beach after school, her mind worlds away.

“Kairi! Wait up!”

Kairi stopped and turned around as Selphie caught up to her.

“Hey, do you feel like going out to the island? Tidus and Wakka are all wrapped up in their ballgame and they won't go with me,” Selphie pouted.

“Not today, sorry,” she shook her head and started walking again.

“Aw, why not?”

“Do you remember those boys who used to hang out with us?”

“Riku?” Selphie asked, not mentioning anyone else.

“Yeah.” It was strange to see who remembered there being another boy and who didn’t. Why had some people forgotten him totally? She remembered a boy with bright eyes and a cheeky grin but she couldn’t remember his name.

“I wonder whatever happened to him. I sure miss him,” Selphie admitted sadly.

“He's far away. But I know we'll see him again,” she smiled at her friend, cheering her up. She knew Riku had come back just once, she had felt him, but she’d been in school and unable to go to him. She had felt the Darkness in him, but it had been different to before the Islands fell, it hadn’t been scary like that. Why hadn’t he let her see him? Did he think she blamed him for everything that had happened?

“Sure. Of course we will.”

“And the other boy?” she pushed.

“What other boy?” Selphie looked utterly lost.

“The one who was with Riku and me all the time…we played together on that island. His voice always used to be there...but now it's gone. I can see his face, but I can’t think of his name. I feel awful about it. So I told myself, I'm not going to the island until I remember everything about him.”

“Are you sure you didn't make him up?” Selphie glanced at her as the crested the top of the hill.

_“Naminé?”_

Kairi grimaced as a sudden headache hit her while in a digital world Roxas continued to fall off the clock tower.

_“Naminé...? What's happening to me?”_

“Who are you? And that's not my name. I'm Kairi.’

_“Kairi... I know you. You're that girl he likes.”_

“Who? Please, a name!”

_“I'm Roxas.”_

“Okay, Roxas, but can you tell me HIS name?”

_“You don't remember my name? Thanks a lot, Kairi! Okay, I guess I can give you a hint. Starts with an "S!"”_

Kairi woke up on the ground. Who was that blond boy…Roxas? But that second voice…it was him, a name with an S…

“Are you okay?” Selphie asked, her eyes wide with worry.

Kairi nodded and got to her feet. The two girls looked to the island across the water. Kairi looked over at Selphie and smiled widely. She then ran to the beach. Selphie rushing to catch up.

“Kairi...?”

Kairi put her bag down and pulled out a bottle, wading out to let it loose in the ocean.

“What's that?”

“A letter... I wrote it yesterday, to the boy I can't remember. I said that no matter where he is... I'll find him. One day. And when I stopped writing, I remembered we made a promise, something important. This letter is where it starts. I know it,” Kairi smiled as she watched the bottle drift away. He was in another World, somewhere and she just knew Riku would find him and bring him home.

“Wow... I hope he gets it.”

“He will,” Kairi stated, standing still as Selphie headed back up the beach. “Starts with an "S." Right, Sora?” She smiled, she knew his name now. Sora would come home one day. And then she could give them a piece of her mind for leaving her waiting so long.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Restoration at 96%.

DiZ stared at the computer screens while Riku juggled a blue crystal. “His progress is astounding,” he admitted.

“So what happened?” he put the crystal into the munny pouch.

“Naminé's encounter with Roxas put his heart in contact with Kairi's. And that, in turn, affected Sora. You see?” DiZ explained.

“Naminé?... She's a wonder,” he whispered.

“She wasn't born like other Nobodies. She can interfere with the hearts and memories of Sora and those aligned with him.”

“But whose Nobody is she?”

“I could tell you... But first, perhaps you could tell me your true name?” DiZ pushed, the boy was different now. Sometimes…he did not act much at all like the teenager he had met at Castle Oblivion and that was concerning. If he were to become possessed again then he would become a very big threat to his own plans and the safety of the Worlds.

“It's Ansem.”

He laughed at the answer. “It's an honour, Ansem!” So it was true, his old apprentice still existed within Riku’s heart, despite the boy defeating him…or was it merely stray memories? Either way, he would need to watch carefully.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Axel sat in his chair, doing his best to hide how much he didn’t want to be there. He couldn’t believe what they were saying. “No way!? It's too soon! You can't seriously get rid of him?!” he knew he could get through to Roxas, he just needed more time, to get him out of the digital world.

“It's an order. Why do you hesitate? You, who has been ruthless towards those who've turned their backs on the Organization?”

“But it's not like that! He didn't betray us! He can't come back!” he argued, leaving out the fact Roxas had been leaving on his own before being kidnapped.

“If he doesn't return, you know what you must do. Or you will face the consequences,” Xemnas warned him, and Axel looked away.

He was shocked when Saïx hurled a sword at him, the blade sinking into his chair to his right, slicing some of his hair off, but he didn’t flinch. He couldn’t show any weakness. 

Xemnas held a hand up and Saïx banished his weapon, only for Xemnas to summon a sphere of energy. Electrical bolts shot out from it toward the walls.

“So, you'll turn me into a Dusk….” He took a breath. “Tch, all right! I'll do it, if that's what you want!” what other choice did he have?

,,,,,,,,,,,,

He placed a hand against the clear wall of the pod, staring at the body floating within.

Sora… he grimaced, pressing a hand. Sora was not his enemy! He was his best friend, he was. He was doing all of this for him, to restore him. “Sora,” he whispered, hating the sound of his own voice…because it wasn’t his.

His memory was basically restored, now all that was left was for Roxas to physically merge with him, to make Sora human once more. And then…he’d never see him again.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“If the rumours are true, it'll be here any minute... For they say the train is empty. No driver, no conductor, no passengers... NO RETURN,” Pence explained.

They waited but eventually got tired of waiting and ended up lying on the ground.

“We've gotta make it to the beach next year,” Olette told them, staring up at the sky.

“Yeah. We better get jobs the second vacation starts,” Hayner announced.

“Good afternoon, slackers.”

Roxas turned around to see Seifer walking up the path to the top of the hill.

“What are you doing out here?” Seifer asked as he looked them over.

“What do you care?” Hayner snapped, rolling to his feet.

“I don't. Tell me anyway.”

“We're waiting for the ghost train,” Pence spoke up before Hayner could start a verbal fight.

“Waiting for the ghost train!” Seifer mocked, and Roxas moved between him and Pence, annoyed. “Why does looking at you always tick me off?”

“I dunno. Maybe it's destiny,” Roxas shot back.

“Destiny... In that case, let's be friends. I don't feel like cooperating with destiny.”

Hayner snorted. “When have you ever cooperated with anything?”

Seifer turned around and patted his chest with his fist, then left.

“Seifer!” Olette called after him.

“I know. Tomorrow.”

“Look!” Roxas yelled, pointing down at the tracks.

A mysterious blue and gold train decorated with stars and moons pulled through the underpass.

“It's really true... And there's really no one aboard! What's the catch? There's gotta be a catch, right?” Finally! One of the mysteries was real! It was going to look great for their assignment. He didn’t see the other three look at each other. “Then it's real? Let's go to the station!”

He rushed off for the station and they followed right on his heels. The train was right there when they arrived.

“Let's go in!” he moved to the train only for Hayner to stop him.

“What?” he looked at his friend.

“Um...you'll get hurt.”

Roxas frowned, looking back, and the train had disappeared. “Huh?”

“The train will be arriving shortly.”

The usual orange train pulled into the station. A few passengers, including Fuu and Rai disembarked.

“C'mon,” Hayner moved to get on.

“A train came from the beach. There was no driver, right?” Roxas looked between them.

“Let's go...” Pence shifted nervously before boarding the train to go home.

“Right?!” He pleaded to Olette but she shook her head.

Hayner groaned and pushed Roxas onto the train.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

DiZ was sitting in a large wooden chair as Riku walked into the room.

“Why did you show him the train?” Riku asked, genuinely curious.

“Because he missed the trip to the beach,” he shrugged slightly.

“Hmph...” he shook his head, “that's almost kind of you.”

“Now...what about you? Are the holes in your memory starting to fill in?”

“Yes...the haze is clearing,” he admitted, it was getting easier to remember who he was.

“The same thing is happening to everyone who had ties to Sora. Very soon, to them, he'll be like a good friend who's gone away for a year,” DiZ explained.

Riku took the seat opposite. He knew DiZ wasn’t fully correct, that Sora hadn’t lost anywhere near as much as he believed. “I've waited, and now I want to know. What is it that you want?” he would not let him hurt or use Sora.

“Revenge.”

“Revenge...” he hadn’t expected that answer at all. Revenge against whom though?

“Now, for the finishing touches. First, we must dispose of Naminé. She did a splendid job with Sora, but it's high time she disappeared. Roxas isn't the only one who was never meant to exist. Take care of it, Ansem,” DiZ commanded, and Riku was thankful for Ansem’s less expressive features since they hid his anger.

How dare he… he needed a way to get Naminé away and fast.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas ran from their place, terrified. They hadn’t seen or heard him…his hand had passed through them. What was going on? He froze as Axel appeared in front of him.

“Look at what it's come to. I've been given these icky orders to destroy you, if you refuse to come back with me,” the redhead told him, and Roxas stared at him.

Destroy him? But… “We're...best friends, right?” he pleaded.

Axel scratched his head, “Sure...but I'm not getting turned into a Dusk for...Wait a sec! You remember now!?” there was so much hope and Roxas wished he did.

“Y...eah,” he lied because what else could he say?

“Great! But, you know, gotta make sure and all. So, umm... What's our boss's name?”

Their boss? They had a boss? Duh, he said orders so someone had to be giving them. But no matter how he tried, no name came to him.

“Can't believe this...” Axel deflated, and Roxas hated seeing him so defeated, despite not remembering him.

The stick in Roxas' hands became the Keyblade and he quickly moved to take on the white things around them. Axel swung up his chakram to strike, and was suddenly frozen. Roxas noticed and stopped, staring at him.

_“Roxas, to the mansion! The time has come!”_

He hesitated, staring at Axel, before he turned and sprinted away.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas stumbled, falling to a knee as a flood of memories slammed into him. He held himself up on his hands and knees, panting. He…he remembered. It was all a lie…he didn’t know those kids….Axel was his only friend, him and…no, just Axel. He remembered fighting the blindfolded boy, he’d done something, become something else, and then everything had gone black. He’d woken up in ‘his’ bedroom, except it wasn’t his. He was Roxas but he couldn’t go back to the Organisation, he’d been leaving anyway when they took him.

He stared at the computers and snarled, summoning the Keyblade to smash them before moving on, defeating any Nobody that got in his way…until Axel appeared.

“Simply amazing, Roxas,” he praised but there was anger in his voice and it hurt.

“Axel,” he said and the redhead drew back slightly at his tone.

“You really do remember me this time?” he asked, and Roxas nodded. “I'm SO FLATTERED,” he finished in a yell, flames reacting to his anger, surrounding them. “But you're too late!!”

Roxas reached for his Keyblade only for two to materialise, one in each hand.

“Two!?” Axel looked as shocked as he felt, but he summoned his own weapons before smiling at Roxas, but it was different to how he’d smiled at Roxas before, dangerous. “Come here. I'll make it all stop.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Axel...” Roxas called his name, sounding so sad.

It’d been a good fight but now it was done, Axel knew he couldn’t beat him. Well, he could, if he killed him, but despite the threat to his own existence….he couldn’t do it. He’d spent so long looking out for Roxas, teaching him, how could he kill him? He let himself drop to his knee, tired. “Let's meet again in the next life,” he offered, and Roxas smiled at him.

“Yeah. I'll be waiting,” the teen promised, and Axel shook his head.

“Silly,” he teased. “Just because you have a next life...” he let himself fade, not wanting to see what was going to happen next, knowing he wouldn’t be able to stop it with how much power he had already expended.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Roxas walked through the basement corridor until he came across two pods with familiar faces inside. “...Donald. ...Goofy?” he whispered, he’d seen them in his dreams. He turned to the door at the end of the hall and entered reluctantly.

Standing in the brightly lit, totally, white room in front of a single large pod, was the man in red. “At last, the Keyblade's chosen one.”

“Who are you talking to?” Roxas demanded. “Me? Or Sora?”

“To half of Sora, of course,” he said as if it was the most obvious thing. “You reside in darkness. What I need is someone who can move about the realm of light and destroy Organization XIII.”

“Why? Who are you?”

“I am a servant of the world,” the man laughed. “And if I'm a servant, then you should consider yourself a tool, at best.”

Roxas grimaced and then glared at him. “Was that... Was that supposed to be a joke?” he called one of his Keyblades. “'Cause I'm not laughing!” He ran up and struck through the man, creating a wave of data through the man but nothing else. Roxas stared in shock and horror.

“My apologies. This is only a data-based projection.”

He screamed in anger, and futilely struck the man repetitively with the Keyblade. The man vanished and reappeared behind him while Roxas caught his breath.

“Come, over here.”

Roxas stared at him angrily. “I hate you so much...”

“You should share some of that hatred with Sora. He's far too nice for his own good.”

“No! My heart belongs to me!” He tried attacking again but the man vanished for good. Roxas panted, looking around, jumping back as the pod began to move, metal petals opening slowly to reveal a clear interior.

“Sora...” he whispered, seeing the boy from his dreams floating inside, eyes closed. He swallowed and looked away. He didn’t want to do it, it wasn’t fair! But they wouldn’t let him go, he knew they were watching to make sure it happened. He looked up at the sleeping boy again. “You're lucky. Looks like my summer vacation is...over,” he finished in a whisper, reaching out, and everything began to fade away.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku watched as Roxas disappeared, feeling sorry for him. He stared at the pod, seeing Sora twitch slightly, the first movement since he had fallen asleep so long ago. “I’ll always watch over you,” he whispered, and then retreated before Sora could truly wake.

_TBC…_


	10. ch10

_Disclaimer: not mine_

_I’m up to Pirates in KH3!! Did they change voice actors for Jack between games, he sounds different._

**Chapter 10**

_“I’ll always watch over you.”_

Riku? He was so tired…just let him sleep.

“Sora?”

Who was there? Light began to come through his closed eyes and he tried to open them, even if only to tell someone to turn the light off.

“Sora!” a voice seemed to yell from a distance.

“Sora, wake up.”

He knew those voices…Donald…Goofy. He finally managed to open his eyes, feeling liquid all around him but even as he did, it was draining away. He dropped to the bottom as it emptied, soaking wet. Something clear vanished from in front of him and he was hit by a blast of air, shivering in his wet clothes. He scrambled up and then fell forward out of the pod, Donald and Goofy catching him in a hug. He clung back, shivering even as he seemed to dry off.

He managed to stand on his own and they laughed, pointing at his clothing. Sora looked down to find it was a bit shorter than normal…how long had it been?

“Donald, Goofy!” he cried happily, moving in to hug them again, laughing and hoping in a circle.

Jiminy Cricket climbed on Sora's shoulder, yawned, and stretched. “That was some nap!” he hoped down to the floor.

“You mean, we were asleep?” Sora glanced at him, it was an awkward angle.

“I guess we musta been, or I don't think we'd be so drowsy...”

“When do ya think we went to sleep?” Goofy asked.

“Uhh...” Donald frowned.

“Let's see...we defeated Ansem...” Sora began.

“Yep.”

“...restored peace to the worlds...closed the door…”

“You fell through it!” Donald yelped, moving to look him over.

“I…did? Yeah…I…I was with Riku. There was a place…empty…white,” he winced and rubbed his head. It was hard to remember. There’d been darkness…cold…he gulped, had he been…becoming a true Heartless? It’d explain why it was hard to remember, he barely remembered anything after he’d stabbed himself at the castle in Hollow Bastion. “There were people….in black coats? Fighting….”

“Huh. Wonder where you were?” Donald asked. “We were looking for you, I remember that much, but then what?”

“What does your journal say, Jiminy?” Goofy asked.

Jiminy took out the journal and began flipping through the pages.

“Gee, there's only one sentence... "Thank Naminé." Hmm... I wonder who that is.”

Donald and Goofy looked at one another and shook their heads. Sora hesitated, there was something…familiar about that name, like he’d heard it before.

“Some journal that is,” Donald grumbled.

“Well, what do ya say we find out where we are!” Jiminy suggested to change the subject.

“But where’s Riku? If I was with him and not you…”

“Don’t worry Sora, we’ll find him,” Goofy promised as they walked through the empty halls and then up into an abandoned mansion. They walked through the woods and then a hole in a wall to find a town that seemed stuck in the twilight.

Sora slowed, looking around, frowning. “You know, I think I've been to this town,” he admitted.

“What's it called?” Donald asked him.

“Hmm... Guess I must've imagined it,” he shrugged slightly so they kept going.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora stared in awe and relief as King Mickey saved them from the white creatures. Though, why was he dressed like that?

“Your Majesty?” Donald and Goofy called as the fight ended.

“Shh!” he hushed them. “You gotta board the train and leave town! The train knows the way,” he held out a pouch. “Here.” He tossed it and Sora caught it, looking up to see the King running to Market Street.

“Your Majesty...” Donald called after him.

“The King... Was that really him?” Sora asked in awe. He didn’t remember meeting him, unless it had been in the place he barely remembered?

“It coulda been... Yep, I know it was!” Goofy nodded.

“Now we know he's okay!” Donald cheered.

“The King was locked in the realm of darkness, right?” Sora asked slowly.

“Uh-huh.”

“But we just saw him...”

“Yep,” Donald nodded.

“And if the King is here, and I’m here….that means Riku's definitely here!” He hadn’t imagined being with him outside of the Realm of Darkness!

“He's gotta be!” Donald grinned.

“Well, I'm gonna go look for Riku. Then he and I can go back to the islands together. Kairi's there waiting for us! What are you two gonna do?”

“Gawrsh, Sora. Do ya have to ask?” Goofy asked, and Sora laughed.

“Hey! What's so funny!?”

“Your face!” he grinned and Donald.

Donald and Goofy looked at each other and then laughed along with Sora.

“What do ya say, guys? Let's stick together for one more journey,” he offered and they nodded. “To...where again?” he put his hands behind his head.

“We hafta board the train!” Goofy pointed to the station doors, and Sora nodded.

“Oh yeah,” right, the King had said to go on the train. “C'mon!”

They ran inside the station.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The train rolled out into the open sky and he watched until it was out of sight, no longer able to sense Sora’s Light. He was just relieved that Sora had his Light back and no longer felt like a Heartless, not that he’d been able to feel much as Sora slept. Axel stood with him on Sunset Hill, Naminé sitting on a nearby bench.

Axel walked over to the wooden railing and leant on it, watching the train leave. “Guess that's that.”

“Let's go,” he agreed, there was no reason to hang around. Especially since the Organisation knew of the mansion base now and who knew what DiZ would do next.

“Go where? It's not like we have homes to return to. We don't exist, remember?” Axel grimaced, straightening up.

“Yes, it's true. We may not have homes. But there is someplace I want to go... And someone I want to see...” Naminé said softly, not looking at them but at the notebook in her lap, which showed a picture of Sora holding hands with Roxas.

“Same here,” Axel agreed, arms crossed. “So, you think you might let us go? I know you're here to get rid of us, but...” he shrugged, and Riku knew he was ready to fight if Riku tried to stop him.

Naminé looks him, pulling the notebook closer, and looked at it again. “DiZ wants to get rid of me?” she asked in horror.

Riku looked back at where the train had vanished. He’d never planned to do as the man whished when it came to her. “Go,” he told them.

“You sure about this?” Axel asked, and they both turned to look at him.

“I owe you both,” Riku said, looking back at Naminé who stared back at him, and he knew she was worried about him.

“For what?” She asked.

“Castle Oblivion. You helped us,” he smiled, not that they could see it with his hood up. She’d helped him keep things straight in his head, now he’d have to do it alone. He had to do it, he had to make sure Sora stayed safe and made it home to Kairi.

“Heh, you don't have to tell me twice,” Axel smirked. He held his hand out and opened a dark portal.

Naminé looked to Axel, then back to Riku, then back to Axel, who nodded. She faced him, clutching her notebook. “Thank you,” she told him, and Riku nodded. She stood up and walked slowly toward the portal, keeping her eyes him. Eventually, she let go and ran into the portal.

Axel walked in after and it closed.

Riku sighed and looked again at where the train had gone. “Good luck Sora.” He opened his own Corridor and left Twilight Town behind for the last time. His mission was still the same, protect Sora from the Organisation. Would they target him as a pawn though, or to try and separate him and Roxas again?

They obviously wanted and needed someone who could use a Keyblade. Would he be a target too like in the Castle? He wished he knew more but there hadn’t been time to question Axel for what he knew, not when they didn’t know if others would be sent when he failed to return.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

They reached the Sorcerer's Loft where an old wizard was sitting at his desk. Donald and Goofy bowed to him.

“Master Yen Sid! It's an honour!”

“Hey there!” he waved awkwardly. The only wizard he’d ever met was Merlin and this Yen Sid seemed very different.

“Sora! Show some respect!” Donald yelled at him, pushing him into a bow.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“So, you are Sora. Now then, have you seen the King yet?” Yen Sid asked the young man before him. He was…not what he had been expecting. How had this boy come to wield a Keyblade? Not through the ceremony, he could sense that much. There was something…strange about him but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. However, the Light within him was strong, and that would have to be enough for now.

“Yes, we did, Master. But we didn't get a chance to talk to him,” Goofy told him.

“Yes...the King has been quite busy of late,” he agreed. “Therefore, it would seem that the task of instructing you three falls upon my shoulders. You have a perilous journey ahead of you. You must be well prepared,” he warned them. The enemies they would face were far more powerful than Ansem, Seeker of Darkness.

“You mean...we have to go on another quest?” the boy asked. “I was looking forward to finding my friend Riku, so we could go back to the islands,” he grimaced.

“Yes. I know. However, everything in your journey, Sora, is connected. Whether you will find your way home to the islands... Whether you will return alone or with your friend... And, whether or not the islands will still be there. And the key that connects them all is you, Sora,” Yen Sid explained firmly.

“I'm...the key?” blue eyes widened. Sora held out his hand and the Keyblade flashed into it. Well, he had that down to a good speed for someone so new to it.

“Chosen wielder of the Keyblade! You are the key that will open the door to light.” He began to explain what they would face on their journey.

,,,,,,,,,,

Sora grimaced as images of figures in black appeared in the Dusks' place. The others looked wary but Sora recognised them, they had been the ones Riku and he had fought in the white place.

“The beings you see before you now are different. These powerful Nobodies have formed a group called Organization XIII. It commands the lesser Nobodies,” the wizard explained.

“Organization XIII...” he whispered, looking to Goofy and Donald, but they shook their heads.

“While Heartless act on instinct, Nobodies function in a higher manner. They can think and plan. And it seems they are working towards a goal. What that goal is, we do not know. The King sensed the danger, and journeyed forth to fight it. He found the dark realm's Keyblade, and with it, closed the door. Now he's traveling from world to world, fighting the Heartless as he seeks the answer to the riddle of the Nobodies and Organization XIII,” Yen Sid explained.

“Then I guess we better go find the King first!” Again. Why hadn’t he stuck around?

“But where could he be?” Donald asked.

“Well, we won't know 'til we look,” Goofy shrugged.

“Yeah. And the King must know where Riku is, 'cause the two of them were together in the Realm of Darkness when I fell through the door. You know, after defeating Ansem.”

“So, before you go, you will need more suitable traveling clothes. Those look a bit too small for you,” he waved at Sora’s outfit. “Through there, you'll find three good fairies. If you ask, they'll create for you appropriate garments.”

“Gawrsh, Sora, you sure are growing fast,” Goofy offered.

“Uh, I guess...” he tugged at his clothes which were rather uncomfortable, even his shoes were pinching and they’d been new, bought to have room to grow…

Did he want to know how long he’d been asleep? He felt different since waking…he felt! He followed the others through the door in shock as it hit him, he didn’t feel numb anymore. He felt …normal ….human. Was that possible? Had he somehow become human in that pod rather than a human looking Heartless?

He needed to find Merlin, fast, his magic had helped him keep his form and memories after all, reinforcing Kairi’s work and fixing things. Surely if he wasn’t human, Yen Sid would have realised and said something?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“My goodness, what's that!?” Merryweather gasped as a black bird landed on the windowsill shortly after they sent young Sora on his way.

It was a raven carrying a with a long black dress. He set it down on the floor and slowly hopped off it.

“Haven't we seen this somewhere before?” She asked in confusion.

“Yes, dear. I wonder whose it was...” Fauna pondered.

“Oh, Malefi – “ Merryweather cut herself off, hands over her mouth.

“No! We mustn't remember her name! Oh dear...” Flora whispered.

“She was a mean ol' witch! Oh no! The memories are coming back! What'll we go!? Oooh---what'll we do!?” Merry looked to the others and then back at the material which began to change form and rise out of the ground. The fairies mumbled to each other about the horridness of the situation.

“Perhaps we should tell Master Yen Sid,” Fauna suggested nervously.

“Yes. That's what we must do. Hurry!” Flora rushed to the door.

Flora and Fauna left the room quickly. The darkened form of Maleficent rose and Merry stared in horror.

“Maleficent!” She turned and fled as well.

Maleficent laughed at her return. Foolish fairies. She raised her staff and vanished in a pillar of green flame, she had work to do.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Merlin sat Sora on the bed and went to work examining him, shocked by what his magic was telling him. “Well my boy, excellent news indeed!” he exclaimed, seeing the hope in Sora’s eyes, emotion that had been sadly lacking the last time they met.

“You mean…I’m really…”

“Human! One hundred percent living human being, heart and body included,” Merlin smiled and reached out to ruffle the wild spikes. “Do you have any idea how?” he asked and then listened as Sora explained what he could remember.

Merlin had felt their combined magics failing and had been worried, but unable to reach them where they had been. Time in the Realm of Darkness helped explain that. He was just relieved Sora had made it out before the magic had failed totally. But perhaps he would need to visit Twilight Town and take a look at those ‘pods’, see what exactly they did to Sora and how, not that technology was his forte, he’d have to take Cid.

The Organisation sounded like a lot of trouble too, as if they didn’t have enough issues keeping the Heartless from the returned inhabitants! Oh well, they would do what they had to.

“So my magic?” Sora asked, and Merlin winced.

“You need a lot of work my boy, as does Donald, although he may find it easier as he was formally taught. I shall give you a helping hand with two of the basic spells for now and then we shall see about proper lessons. You have a great reserve of magical power that has mostly gone to waste after all.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Is that Mushu?” Goofy asked as they stared at the two in the clearing surrounded by bamboo.

Mushu popped out from behind the armoured figure. “That's right, I know you heard of me! I'm little, lethal, and legendary! Now y'all scram before I get my dragon dander up!”

That got a real laugh from Sora which was good to hear. “Hey, Mushu! We missed you!”

“Yeah, well you better HOPE I miss YOU, or else you're---you're...Sora! Donald! Goofy!”

“Do you know them?” The figure…a girl, asked.

Mushu hopped to the ground. “Know them? Man, we used to kick all kinds of bad guy butt together! Yeah, you know, I helped these guys out of a lot of tight spots. 'Cause I'm a mighty dragon! Right?” Mushu leaned against Sora's leg, falling over when Sora moved it.

“Something like that,” Sora grinned and then looked at the stranger. “And...you are?”

“I'm Mulan. Um, no, I-I mean...” the voice was then lowered. “Ping!”

“Mulan Ping?” Donald asked.

“Just...Ping. I am Ping, son of Fa Zhou.”

“You know Mushu?” Sora asked.

“Mushu's one of my family's guardians.”

“We didn't know we were borrowin' somebody as important as a family guardian,” Goofy admitted, hoping Mushu’s absence hadn’t caused any trouble while the dragon was helping them.

Mushu popped up. “Yeah, that's right!” He scurried back up onto Ping's shoulders. “And that puts you three up to your eyeballs in debt to Ping here.” That got an awkward smile from Pin. “Well, guess what, kiddies? It's payback time!”

“Mushu...” ‘He’ hissed to the dragon.

“Ah, they don't mind. Ain't that right?”

“Hmm, sounds fair,” Sora agreed like they knew he would, he never turned someone in trouble down. But still, it was good to see and hear him acting like his old self again, not how he’d been after he freed Kairi’s heart. Obviously being a Heartless even for a few minutes, had been hard to get over.

“See, Ping here was just on his way to join the Imperial army,” Mushu explained, switching shoulders. “We gotta go find the other recruits over at the training camp.”

“Would you join us? It'll be easier to fit in if I'm with guys, like you.”

“What do you mean, "fit in"?” Sora obviously hadn’t realised. Shouldn’t it be more obvious to him since they were both human?

“Well, um, uh, don't---don't worry about that,” Mushu mumbled.

“You're pretendin' to be a boy, aren't ya?” Goofy asked to let them know he’d worked it out.

Sora and Donald jumped in surprise which was rather funny.

  
“You're a...girl?” Sora stared in shock.

“You didn't notice?” Ping, or Mulan, asked sheepishly.

“Uh-uh,” Donald shook his head.

“Not me,” Sora admitted.

“I think it's working,” she grinned.

“I don't know---those two would fall for anything,” Mushu admitted, and Goofy covered his mouth to keep from laughing.

“I'm right here!” Sora crossed his arms, glaring at the dragon.

“Hey!” Donald yelled, and Goofy started laughing as they began to walk together.

It was good to be together with a mission again. Everyone was getting back to how they had been before. Still…it felt like Sora wasn’t telling them something…but at least he seemed happier and more lively now. Definitely more comfortable in clothing that fit properly.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Thanks, Ping,” Shang told him.

“It...was nothing,” Ping denied as they stood, but Shang shook his head.

“I should never have doubted you. From now on, you have my trust.”

“Thank you, Captain,” he seemed shocked by Shang’s words.

“First she uses me as a lighter, then she turns me into a cannon ball. The head ancestor's gonna hear about this. You know, that's it! I give up! I can't take this no more. C'mon, Mulan. Let's quit this charade and go home, girl.”

Was that a dragon? A talking dragon…talking to Ping…and calling him a girl…Mulan. Shang looked from what had to be a family guardian back to the soldier who had saved them.

“Mushu!” Ping hissed.

“Huh?” The dragon finally noticed him and clasped his hands over his mouth.

“Mulan?” He stared at Ping… “A woman? It can't be!” But Ping wasn’t denying it.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy ran up to them. “Ping! Captain!” the boy called, relieved.

“Oh boy, you're okay!” the one called Goofy grinned, they were a strange lot, but they’d proven their worth…and arrived with Pi, Mulan.

“You all knew, didn't you? You knew Ping was really a woman in disguise,” he demanded and they froze, proof enough. “I can't believe you lied to me. The punishment for high treason and dishonouring the Army...is death. Get out of my sight...now. You're all dismissed,” he growled.

“But Captain...” Sora started.

“My debt is repaid,” he said, keeping his back to them as he walked towards the ridge. “The Emperor is waiting! Move out!” he ordered the remaining soldiers and they left the four behind. Whether they made it to their homes or not was not his problem, he had spared their lives when the law said to execute them.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Now that's what I call burning some hunny-bun! Aw, yeah! Mulan's the best! Mulan's the best! No, wait a minute---I'm the best! Mushu's the best! Mushu's the best!” the dragon was cheering and bouncing around, but Sora ignored him as the Emperor approached.

There were hundreds of people now in Imperial Square and the Emperor did not look happy. “I've heard a great deal about you, Fa Mulan,” he started and she bowed. “You stole your father's armour, ran away from home, impersonated an Imperial soldier. You deceived your commanding officer, shamed the entire Chinese army, and dishonoured your family name.”

“We get the picture...” Sora tried to cut in, worried.

“You're a young woman. And in the end...” The Emperor ignored him. “...you have saved us all.” Everyone was shocked when he bowed to Mulan who stared in shock. The entire crowd followed his lead so Sora shrugged and joined in.

“Your Excellency!” She gasped.

“Captain Li?” he called as he straightened, and Shang took Shan-Yu's sword, handing it to Mulan. “Take this, so the world will know what it is you have done for China.”

“Thank you.” She bowed again.

“Mulan,” Shang called as she turned to leave.

“Yes?”

“Sora, Donald, Goofy,” he continued, smiling at them all. “Thank you.” He bowed to them slightly.

“’Thank you’? Is that all there is to say, Captain? If you wish to win the heart of Fa Mulan, China's bravest woman, you'll have to be a bit more eloquent than that!” The Emperor chided his Captain, and Sora smothered a laugh, but then let it out as the Emperor and Mulan laughed.

“Can I get an autograph?” He asked her, grinning.

“Thanks for everything, Sora.”

“Now they GOTTA let me go back to bein' a guardian! They GOTTA!” Mushu cheered and they looked at him.

“But Mushu, I thought you already WERE a family guardian!” Goofy pointed out and Mushu froze.

“What? Oh, no, no---don't even worry about that, that's just real technical. Just for us guardians.”

“You tricked us!” Sora glared at him.

“No, no no no, see I did---I just, uh...” Mushu turned to run away. “You know, I just didn't wanna bog y'all down with all the Guardian-ese. See, it's very complex, a lot of fine print. You wouldn't understand,” he yelled as Sora chased him, everyone else laughing until Shan-Yu's sword began to glow.

Sora stopped chasing Mushu to look at it. “Huh?” the Keyblade appeared in his hand and he grinned, another gate!

“Guess it's about time to be movin' on,” Goofy sighed.

“You shall be missed,” the Emperor told them and Sora bowed again.

“Is it okay if we come back to visit?” he asked, he liked the world, but the people were even better.

“Of course!” Mulan told him.

“We will look forward to your return,” Shang added with a nod.

Sora grinned cheekily at them. “You two play nice.”

“Whoa... Watch it, soldier!” Shang held his hands up.

Mulan blushed as Sora waved goodbye but then she looked at Shang and giggled. Mushu popped up onto her shoulder and laughed. “Goodbye, Sora, Donald, Goofy!” She called as they left for the ship.

He really liked them and hoped they could come back soon. He put his hands in his pockets, marvelling at the magical clothes. He’d done a ‘form change’ for the first time and it had felt strange, powerful, but also draining. And it had left him with the feeling of something…like there was something else possible beyond what the fairies had called Valor form….something a lot Darker.

_TBC…_


	11. ch11

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 11**

Riku stood in the snow, eyes closed, he’d missed them, though not by much. Still, the view was breath taking and Sora had saved the day already so it was peaceful too, although he doubted that would last long with the Organisation around. Still it had been good, to walk through the city and hear the people talk about Mulan, the hero of China, and her friends - Sora, Donald, and Goofy. It made the fact Sora was awake and healed feel all the more real. He wished he could see him for himself and hopefully one day he would, even though he could never let Sora see what he had become.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora and Donald sat on the ground before him as he spoke of magic, Sora completely focused on something outside of battle. It wasn’t the dry theory Donald was always trying to stuff into his head, Merlin made it come alive. Even Donald was forced to admit, the ancient wizards lessons were far more interesting. And they were learning quickly. The only reason they’d been able to stop for a few days was because the gummi ship needed repairs after they’d been hit by a massive heartless ship and sent flying into an asteroid.

They really needed to keep moving after all, but learning magic again was also important. They had to regain their ability to cast healing spells as soon as possible, the fight with Shan-Yu had shown them how dangerous it was to have only potions.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi sat on the beach, staring out at the ocean. Everyone remembered Sora now, worried whispers spreading about the missing boy. There were even rumours he and Riku had run off together, hopefully she could warn them about those before they could return. They wouldn’t get a warm welcome from those who believed them. Whatever had happened to Sora had to be over now, so they’d be home soon, right? They had to come home, she had no way of going after them.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora rolled forward to dodge the suddenly animated statues blow, bouncing back to his feet to launch a spell, thankful for the time with Merlin as the fire spell hit. He grimaced as more statues came alive and then groaned as three Bolt Towers and two Large Bodies joined the party, more Darkness bubbling along the hall, threatening even more Heartless. He tried to spot Donald and Goofy but they’d been split up earlier….no, there was Goofy’s hat back there and…a statue went flying, ice coating it, so Donald was up ahead somewhere.

He slammed his Keyblade into one of the Towers, sending thunder through it, buying him some space to breath as it spun away. He reached for his magic, feeling the strain, but he reached further, for Goofy. They weren’t going to be able to win without an edge. Reaching for the Drive Form felt strange but he still did it. He felt the connection between them open, welcoming Goofy’s power but something was wrong…Donald! What was going on?

Power poured into him and he gasped as something inside him reached hungrily back for it…something Dark. No! But there was nothing he could do, he was committed, feeling his feet leave the floor as the Drive Form activated. There was a flash of light but then it collapsed inward and he screamed.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Donald whirled around at hearing the pained scream, trying to see Sora in the mess of Heartless. “SORA!” he yelled, but there was no answer.

“SORA!” Goofy yelled from further down the hallway, but there was still nothing but the sound of battle.

Donald’s heart was in his throat as he cast spell after spell, bashing his wand into others, fighting to reach where he’d seen the light of Valor form activating. If Sora was badly hurt or unconscious even in Drive form…he leapt back as the remains of a statue tumbled by and then stared in shock as a Heartless tore through the others. What?

“Donald, can ya see him?” Goofy yelled.

“Just a crazy Heartless!” he yelled back, watching in shock as it bounced around, ripping the others apart with claws of Darkness. Where was Sora?

It was a relief to feel Goofy reach him, standing back to back, it made fighting easier although the Heartless was doing a very good job at thinning the numbers. He was not looking forward to fighting it!

He staggered as he cast a spell, feeling something sucking on his magic. It was like…what Goofy said it felt like when Sora used the Drive form. “Is the form active?” he asked.

“Yeah, I can feel sure the drain,” Goofy threw his shield.

They reached where Sora had been but there was nothing there except the fading remains of Heartless. Donald’s gaze went to the crazy Heartless, watching it dart around, it kind of looked like a Neoshadow without the antennae…

“You….you don’t think….” He pointed at it.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Goofy stared at the shadowed form, understanding what Donald was asking. Was that Sora? He remembered when Sora had become a Heartless, a Neoshadow, and there were similarities. They hadn’t seen Sora fight in that form, he’d just passively followed them before Kairi had hugged him back to human. “If he was a Heartless shouldn’t the drain have stopped?” he asked. It was the link between their hearts that powered the Drive form.

“I…I don’t know. I can feel a drain on my magic,” Donald answered.

As the number of Heartless dropped, the moved so their backs were to a wall, exhaustion threatening. They watched the creature Sora had become, seeing it attack utterly recklessly, taking avoidable hits just to land an attack. It wasn’t just physically attacking either, it was using Darkness too. And unlike the other, it, he, was making noise.

Goofy cringed at a cry as spears of Darkness sank into a Tower, it sounded like those attacks were hurting him, so why was he using them? He watched in awe and horror as the last Heartless fell. There was only the three of them in the hallway now, proving that it was Sora, but what would he do now? The thought of having to fight Sora in any form…

He was crouched, moving on all fours, pacing around, agitated. Had he not noticed them?

“What…what do we do?” Donald whispered, and Sora’s head snapped around, large, unblinking yellow eyes staring at them. “Oh no,” he muttered, tightening his hold on his wand.

Goofy kept his shield ready but didn’t raise it. “Sora?” he called shakily.

Sora shifted towards them, swaying side to side, utterly silent as he stared at them. There was no sign of recognition but with the Darkness rising off his body it was impossible to make out his face.

“Sora…can ya understand me?” Goofy tried, and then Sora leapt and he threw his shield up even as a shaky barrier formed around them. Sora let out a horrible screech as he collided and then bounced off it. He caught Donald as he went down, the barrier having drained his magic.

“What do we do? That won’t hold for long,” Donald warned him. “What…what if he doesn’t come out of it?”

Goofy thought about it. “Well, it’s actin’ like a Drive form, ain’t it? Pulling on our power? So it should wear off eventually.”

“He’s never been in Valor Form this long!”

“But that only pulls from me, this is getting twice the power.”

“Great,” Donald grumbled.

They watched Sora pace, swiping at the barrier now and then, seeing it shimmer every time he did. Which would happen first; the barrier collapsing or the form wearing off?

Goofy knelt down so he didn’t tower over the crouched form, watching Sora who watched him back. “Sora?” he asked, and Sora hissed. “Easy Sora, it’s just us. We ain’t gonna hurt ya,” he murmured, keeping his voice as soft as he could.

Sora cocked his head to the side, seeming to listen, but could he understand? He scratched at the barrier again, pressing against it, and it shimmered.

“Drop it,” he told Donald who squawked at him. “He won’t hurt us,” Goofy told him, and Donald glared, hesitating.

“Fine, if he kills us or takes our hearts…”

“He won’t,” Goofy stated, he was sure of it.

The barrier dropped and Sora froze.

“Hey Sora, you’re okay,” Goofy whispered, and Sora hesitantly shifted forward. He leapt and Goofy braced but didn’t raise his shield, ending up on his back with Sora crouched over him. It hadn’t hurt which was good, he could have hit him claws first but he hadn’t. He held still as Sora leant in and…sniffed him? Sora chittered, swaying over him.

“Goofy?” Donald called, clutching his wand.

“It’s okay,” he answered. “He’s still Sora,” he carefully and slowly lifted a hand, touching what should be Sora’s hair, it was as black and smoky as the rest of him but then Goofy smiled as Sora pressed up into his gloved hand. “There ya are Sora, you’re still in there,” he whispered. He let out an oomph as Sora suddenly went boneless, lying on him, but he kept up the petting.

“Look!” Donald hissed, and Goofy raised his head to look down, seeing the Darkness slowly lifting from Sora’s body.

The teen whimpered in pain and then went utterly limp.

“Sora?” he shook his shoulder but there was no reaction.

Donald moved in and cast cure before checking him over. He grabbed a potion and Goofy sat up, supporting Sora while Donald carefully administered it. It wasn’t the first time they’d had to work together to heal him while the kid was unconscious.

“We gotta move,” Goofy said once they were sure he wasn’t going to bleed out or anything. He stood carefully, holding Sora, and Donald lead the way, looking for somewhere more defensible to rest.

Hearing a human voice behind a door, a familiar one, Donald knocked. They were both relieved when Belle peered out, her eyes going wide as she saw Sora. They soon had him lying on her bed as Belle explained what was going on as best she could.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora felt sick as he followed them towards the Undercroft where the Beast had apparently locked up his servants. At least they had waited until they’d left Belle to tell him what had happened. Merlin had said he was human! He was, he could feel again, he could feel the Light in his heart. But…he could feel the Dark too, rage and sorrow held tight in his heart. What was happening to him now? Even after potions and cure spells, he hurt. Everything ached and he felt hot one second and freezing cold the next, could feel his muscles jumping. He had to ignore it, they had a job to do. He just…he couldn’t use the Drive form. He couldn’t risk that happening again.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Cogsworth...what happened?” The Beast asked, sounding confused.

“Well, Master...ah, you see...that is... How shall I say...ah, actually...mmm...”

“Well, you put everybody down there in that dungeon!” Donald said it for him, angry over his behaviour and the fact he’d attacked them. After everything they’d been through with him before, how could he do that? Sora had been stricken but his fighting…he’d barely been trying to fight. Because it was Beast, or because of what had happened before?

“I did what?” Beast asked, eyes widening.

“Ah...you did!” Cogsworth agreed.

The Beast looked at the floor, saying nothing.

“Who was that guy you were talking to? The one in black?” Sora asked, voice more subdued than usual.

“Xaldin... that's his name. He came from the darkness... He...used my anger to control me. He took all my sorrow, my sadness, my pain---and turned it all into rage. There was nothing I could do... I could no longer see the truth.”

“Well, I'll be. That must be why you threw all of your friends down there into the dungeon. You wanted to make sure that you didn't hurt 'em, right?” Goofy suggested, and Beast stared at him. Goofy always was optimistic, then again he’d been right about Sora not attacking them so maybe he was right again.

“Was that it? Was it to protect them?”

“Sure. We know you're good inside,” Goofy nodded.

“He's right, Master. We've all seen how kind you can be. After all... Belle can see the goodness in your heart, but I'm afraid you've yet to….”

“Belle!” Beast called and then sighed. “I've mistreated her... I've mistreated her and been so selfish.”

“She didn't say anything about that,” Sora spoke up finally.

“She'd never tell anyone of my cruelty... She's too good.”

“You see, I'm afraid he judges himself far too harshly,” Cogsworth told Sora who bit at his lip, hesitating.

Donald hated seeing him so…fragile, unsure.

“Why don't you just go talk to her?” Sora suggested after a minute.

“But...”

“No excuses!” he announced. “C'mon, we'll go with you,” for the first time since the hall, his smile was more like normal. Maybe helping Beast would help him get over whatever had happened.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku paused, the Darkness not bothering him at all, but he pressed a hand to his heart, feeling a low ache. It wasn’t him….Sora! Something was very wrong with Sora, he had to find him! He abandoned his plans and ripped open a Dark Corridor, focusing on getting to Sora….only to see the gummi ship blasting off. He swore under his breath but now back in the Realm of Light, he could feel Sora’s Light, whatever had happened had passed. What could have happened?

He glanced around to see a massive castle, the atmosphere though was a bit creepy. But…there, a familiar Light inside, one of the Princesses was within but not in distress or anything.

He wished he had some way to check on Sora that was more reliable than hoping to feel if he was in trouble in time to get to him. He knew the ship had communications capabilities, and Mickey had offered him his own so he could remain in contact more often, he’d just left it behind, hidden safely. It wasn’t much help since trouble tended to happen once Sora was well away from his ship anyway. They needed something portable and he had made the suggestion, it was just a waiting game to see if Chip and Dale could come up with something.

Since there was no reason to be wherever it was that he was, he opened another Corridor and left.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora found himself once again being examined by Merlin, something that was happening way too often as far as he was concerned. Merlin’s magic tingled but it didn’t feel bad or anything. Between turning into a Heartless again and Pooh forgetting him…things kind of sucked at the moment so he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the results of the exam.

“Well….that is interesting,” he finally murmured, stepping back.

“Merlin? Am I…”

“Oh no, still completely human,” Merlin quickly assured him. “And that is the cause of this. As you know, only the Princesses of Heart have truly Light hearts that are incorruptible by the Darkness. You already had some darkness within you, everyone does. It’s just been…given form. The magic that allows these Drive Forms to work has given it a way to manifest once it builds up too high within you.”

“Builds up?” he asked warily.

Merlin sighed and adjusted his glasses before sitting down, looking very serious, a look Sora figured a lot of people didn’t see. “Every negative thought and emotion you push aside gathers deep in your heart, they don’t just vanish because you ignore them,” Merlin explained, and Sora wanted to deny it but… “This negativity builds up and feeds the Darkness until it reaches a ‘critical level’ you might say. Before, you had outlets I assume, things you did when angry or to relax and calm down. You haven’t been dealing with those emotions since leaving home, have you?”

Sora looked away. When did he have time to deal with his own emotions? Besides, he couldn’t be upset, the gummi ship ran on smiley faces. He had to be upbeat and full of hope when facing the Heartless otherwise the local people would give in to their own negative feelings.

“Your time as a Heartless has intensified things, given the Darkness a way to express itself by changing your form. Even without the Drive Form giving it a helping hand, you likely would have gained the ability to become physically more like a Heartless.”

“A monster,” Sora muttered.

“Now Sora, I heard the same report from Donald and Goofy. You fought the Heartless but did not harm them. You still recognised friend from foe. Either you find other ways to deal with your darker emotions, or you learn to accept that this will happen and work to see if you gain control over it.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Huh?” Sora asked as they looked around.

“Are ya sure this is the coliseum?” Goofy asked in confusion, it looked nothing like last time. Sora’d had a bad couple of days, maybe he’d landed on the wrong World? It could happen, right?

“It's that way!” Donald pointed to a set of stairs leading upward. Sure enough the light increased towards the top.

“Oh...” Sora rubbed the back of his neck, kicking a loose stone. “Guess we were a little off.”

Goofy went to try and cheer him up but paused, would that just be making Sora push it aside if he did? Merlin had made it clear that they had to stop pushing him to always act happy, even when he wasn’t, but how were they meant to know when that was?

There was a sudden scream and then a woman ran from a cave with a bunch of Rabid Dog

Heartless after her. She fell and they pounced, sensing weakness.

“Heartless!” Sora yelled, running towards her, Keyblade in hand. They quickly followed and the Heartless scattered. Sora offered her a hand up.

“Thanks, but...I'm fine,” she said, getting up. She looked them over and smirked. “And you're supposed to be?”

“I'm Sora, he's Donald, and that's Goofy. We came to see how Hercules is doing,” Sora spoke for them as he usually did.

She looked at each of them in turn. “You know Wonderboy?”

“Yeah, 'cause we're heroes, too!” Donald announced proudly.

“Ya mean, junior heroes, Donald,” Goofy corrected him.

“Looks like we have a friend in common. Name's Megara. My friends call me Meg.”

“So how's Herc?” Sora asked.

“Wonderboy? Well, he's duking it out at the Coliseum every day. You know, "a hero's work is never done" and all that. He's ready to drop, but he keeps on fighting. Even Wonderboy has his limits, though. These opponents are bad news, special deliveries from Hades himself...”

“Hades!?” Donald yelped.

“Right. Lord of the Underworld. I was on my way to see him. Maybe I can get Hades to give Wonderboy a breather. If anything happens to that kid...” she trailed off, and Goofy smiled, that was sweet.

“Gawrsh... Sounds like you're more than just friends!” he told her.

‘Oh...uh, I mean...” she blushed slightly.

“We'll go have a little talk with Hades. I'd hate for anything to happen to you on your way to see him,” Sora volunteered them, but that was normal. He was always eager to help people, especially friends. Or was that more hiding the bad things?

“You really want to do that? Well, it looks like you know what you're doing. I guess I'll take you up on that offer. But...let's keep this whole chat-with-Hades thing our little secret, okay?”

“Our lips are sealed!” Sora promised.

They left her there and headed into the Cave of the Dead. It was very spooky and full of strange mist…and Heartless of course. They worked their way deeper and deeper into the Underworld, feeling it sap their strength and several times Goofy felt Sora almost start to activate the Drive Form only to pull back. They paused as they saw a cloaked man running through the cave they were in.

“The Organization!” Donald brandished his wand.

“Yeah,” Sora gripped the Keyblade as they made their way into the Inner Chamber to find the cloaked man still running, except this time towards them.

“Run! Run away!” He yelled as he ran passed, and they turned to see him vanish back the way they’d come.

“Okay...?” Sora stared after him, and then glanced at them and Goofy shrugged.

That was the strangest meeting with one of them yet, not that they’d seen anyone except that Xaldin creep at the Beast’s Castle. You couldn’t judge them from that one big meeting back in Hollow Bastion after all. Still, he seemed a bit cowardly for some big bad Organisation.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

They walked through the Coliseum Gates and Sora was relieved to leave the gloom and darkness of the Underworld behind.

“Gawrsh, this sure does bring back memories!” Goofy grinned, and he nodded.

They walked to the Lobby doors and saw a tired Hercules walk out. He looked up and saw them, managing a weak smile and wave. “Sora! Donald! Goofy! When'd you get here?”

“Hey, Herc!” he called, the others giving their own greetings.

Hercules walked down the steps closer to them. Meg appeared in the doorway, listening in. “You on another adventure?” the hero asked.

“Yeah, trackin' down some friends, wipin' out some Heartless.”

“Junior heroes, always busy!” Hercules chuckled as they locked hands.

“You know it!” they walked with him into the Coliseum Foyer.

“So, did you find those friends of yours?”

Sora fought not to flinch at the reminder that he was still looking. “Still working on it. When we got here, we ran into Meg---meg-mega trouble, I mean! So we had to help somebody out. We tried to go teach Hades a thing or two...but the Underworld drains away all our strength. Don't suppose you have any ideas?” he asked.

Hercules thought it over. “Well, there is a stone that guards against the Underworld's curse. The gods on Mount Olympus use it whenever they have to go down there.”

“Think we could use it?” they’d need it to have a chance of stopping Hades.

“Sure, why not! I'll go get it for you.”

“Thanks!” Donald sounded as relieved as he felt.

“But Hades is no pushover, even if you've got the Olympus Stone. And I have a match today, so I can't go with you... Know what you need? Training! Why don't you go talk to Phil?” Hercules suggested.

“Hey, good idea!” Training…but they could use some more. He was still trying to regain everything he’d lost while sleeping.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku made his way through the busy marketplace of Thebes, hearing cheering from the distant coliseum. He wasn’t going anywhere near there, not when he knew it was somewhere Sora had been before and could visit again, especially with the proximity to the last World he’d tracked Sora to. He had work to do in trying to stop the Organisation, but he also needed supplies, which was why he was in the market and not the Underworld chasing up the rumours that they were looking at Hades for something.

He turned at a sudden noise and watched with everyone else as a massive multi-headed creature rose from the coliseum, beginning to destroy it. He hesitated but then took off towards it, he couldn’t just sit by and let all those people die, besides, it could be part of whatever the Organisation was there for.

He found pandemonium as people tried to flee the destruction and was thankful they didn’t know what the black coat meant as they listened when he began getting them moving more efficiently. He was carrying two children away when he saw Sora and friends run into the arena to face the creature. He ducked away, unseen, and handed the child off to a grateful relative before moving back to watch.

He smiled beneath his hood as he watched them defeat it. It was good to see them fighting together so easily, although…not up to the level they’d had against his own possessed body back at Hollow Bastion. Had they not regained the strength lost in Castle Oblivion? Had Sora lost everything when he’d become human again?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora grinned as the hydra finally fell but then turned, searching the ruins….he could have sworn…but there was nothing there. Had he imagined it? Had Riku been there?

He shook his head, it couldn’t have been him, Riku would have shown himself. He had no reason to hide after all. His mind went back to their fight with that guy…Demyx. He’d called him Roxas, but why? They knew his name was Sora so what reason could they have to call him another name. And yet….something about it felt…familiar. It was weird and he had more important things to worry about.

_TBC…._


	12. ch12

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 12**

Sora lay in his bunk, curled in a miserable ball. It had happened again. He felt a gloved hand against his forehead, sighing as the cold soaked in thanks to magic. It helped, a little. Nothing helped the sick feeling in his stomach.

“Alright there Sora?” Goofy asked softly, and he managed a short nod.

He wasn’t, it was worse this time, because he’d had to get up and keep fighting after the change had faded. It hadn’t been enough to end the fight, the enemy too numerous. It was good to know that it had a definite time limit at least. He couldn’t just not use the Drive Form, he knew that now, he could ration the use to try and keep from overusing it but that was all.

Hopefully, it’d get less painful to use…and Kairi and Riku would never see him like that.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Your Majesty! Queen Minnie! We're back!” Donald called as Sora followed them into a massive library.

“You're here!” a female voice called in relief, and Sora shifted to the side to see.

“Your Royal Highness, did ya happen to summon us?” Goofy asked.

“Yes.”

“Where's the King?” Sora asked, shouldn’t he have come home? He’d seen them on their way so where was he? Was he with Riku maybe? He grimaced as Donald pulled his ear.

“Excuse him. This is our friend, Sora.”

“Oh, Sora! The King told me all about you in his letters. He said you're a very brave young man.”

He felt his face grow warm, the King said that about him? But they hadn’t really even met! What had Riku told him? “So, do you know where he is?” he asked, hoping maybe the King knew more about where Riku was now.

She shook her head and they sighed.

“Your Majesty, what are Heartless doing in your castle?” Donald asked in obvious concern.

“Oh my...” she gasped. “So those are the Heartless.”

“Don't worry, we'll take care of 'em!” Sora assured her with a grin.

“I know I can count on you, Sora,” she smiled at him. “Now, there's something I'd like all of you to come and see. Would you please escort me to the audience chamber?” she asked and they all saluted, Sora copying the other two. The Queen giggled but then gasped. “I forgot to warn everyone else in the castle about the danger! We must be sure they're hidden somewhere safe!”

“Okay, we'll go tell them!” he promised immediately.

“The whole castle!?” Donald asked, looking between them, and Goofy shrugged.

“We just gotta split up, Donald.”

“I'll make sure that everyone knows what's going on,” Sora offered.

“No, Sora, you'll just get lost!” Donald told him, and he nodded, oh, yeah, he didn’t know the castle but they did.

“Okay. Then I'll stay with the Queen,” he glanced at her and she smiled but nodded. There was something about her that reminded him of Kairi in a way, but he didn’t think she was a Princess of Heart.

“Good,” Donald nodded.

“All righty then, see ya later!” They ran from the library.

“Um, the audience chamber, right, ma'am?” he nervously scratched the back of his head.

“Yes, Sora. Let's be on our way,” she smiled at him.

They hurried back into the colonnade and Sora summoned his Keyblade, launching himself into the gathered Heartless, watching in awe when the Queen summoned Light to take out groups of them. She was amazing. After a while they reached the immense doors to the audience chamber, which were magically locked.

“Just one moment,” she told him, and he turned to face the hall, watching her back as she worked to unseal the door. “As soon as the trouble started, I made sure to seal this room,” she explained even as the barrier dropped and the door unlocked, a smaller door within the larger one. “Now then...shall we?”

They entered the large audience chamber, which was eerie and completely empty, until a

horde of Bolt Tower Heartless floated down from the ceiling.

“Not here, too!” she gasped in horror.

“I got 'em,” he told her, moving around her as they made their way towards the throne, she took out groups, pushing them back to give him room to move. “Come on, gimme a break!” he grimaced, he was getting tired, he could feel the Drive Form hovering in the back of his mind, but he didn’t want to risk it going wrong with a stranger around.

She hurriedly reached beneath the arm of the throne and pressed a button. There was a loud rumbling and the throne started to move.

“Huh?” He watched as the throne receded with a flash of light, throwing a hand up to protect his eyes, even as the Heartless were destroyed. and the Heartless are gone. Under where the throne had been was a set of stairs to a lower room. “Whoa...”

“The room below is called the 'Hall of the Cornerstone.' Our castle has always been safe from worlds that are evil...thanks to the Cornerstone of Light which we keep down there,” she explained, moving to descend.

“The Cornerstone...of light?” he asked curiously but followed her down into the Hall of the Cornerstone where he saw the unbelievable mass of thorns surrounding the walls. A giant ball of swirling light stood in the middle of the room, so far untouched. He tensed but then relaxed as the other two rushed down the stairs.

“This is the castle's cherished Cornerstone. But look. The thorns...They must be the work of someone very evil. I wonder what this could mean...” she pondered.

A burst of green flames appeared before the Queen and an image of Maleficent materialised. Sora moved protectively in front of her, he wouldn’t let Maleficent harm her!

“Maleficent!” Donald brandished his wand.

“No way!” Sora gripped his Keyblade tightly, he didn’t really want to fight her again, she was powerful.

“Well, well, well. What have we here...? If it isn't the wretched Keyblade holder, and his pitiful lackeys!” She sneered.

“What!? Now you're gonna deal with me!” Donald lept to attack but flew right through her.

“All in good time. I promise you'll be able to partake of my vengeance. But you must be patient,” Maleficent chided.

“Just what are you doing here, Maleficent!?” The Queen demanded.

“Ah, Queen Minnie. Radiant, as always.” She bowed. “I'm here on a property venture. I want this castle for my own. However, it's a bit too "bright" for what I have in mind. I suppose I'll just have to fill every room with my personal touch of darkness.” She touched the Cornerstone of Light, but it rejected her hand.

“You'd better stop right now if you know what's good for you!” Queen Minnie warned her.

“Ooh, how frightening. Very well. I'll stop... Just as soon as the castle belongs to me!” She disappeared, cackling evilly.

“What a hag,” Sora grumbled.

“Nothing like this has ever happened before. I looked through all the records in the library, but I couldn't find a single clue,” she shook her head sadly.

“Ohhh! We should go ask somebody who knows lotsa stuff that ain't in any book!”

“Merlin the Wizard!” Donald cheered.

“Yes! That's perfect! Merlin just might know something about this mess. Let's ask his advice!” The Queen agreed.

“He’s in Hollow Bastion,” Sora smiled at her. “We’ll bring him back here.”

“Oh thank you so much.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku shook his head, struggling to work out what had happened, and then bit back a groan. He’d been so stupid. He hadn’t expected Sora to be there and had ducked out of sight quickly but then the Heartless had attacked, wave after wave, and he’d been unable to stop himself from fighting. He couldn’t let Sora get hurt and he’d heard at least one of his companions go down. He hadn’t spent a year watching over him as he slept, hadn’t given up everything, just to stand by and watch him die.

Everything was eerily quiet now and he opened his eyes only to freeze as he came face to face with a Heartless which leapt back, crouching down on all fours. It was humanoid in appearance, even more so than the Neoshadows, though lacking the antennae. It skittered around, as if nervous, but it wasn’t attacking.

  
Riku carefully sat up, looking around and seeing no sign of Sora and his group. Had they left? He’d done his best to stay out of sight during the fight and his hood was up so even if they had seen him, seen him go down, why would they linger? They wouldn’t help what they thought was an Organisation member, well…Sora might but they’d surely stop him.

He glanced at the Heartless again, staring into unblinking yellow eyes and then he frowned as he took a closer look. Horror and fear slowly took over as he made out more and more under the darkness. “No,” he whispered in denial, it couldn’t be. He knew Sora had briefly become a Heartless in freeing Kairi’s heart, that was what had caused Roxas to exist after all, but they had re-joined in Twilight Town, that was what had woken Sora. He was meant to be human again!

“S…Sora?” he asked, praying he was wrong, but the head cocked to one side in response and he heard a curious chirp from the Heartless.

He stretched a gloved hand out slowly, heart pounding, and Sora skittered back so Riku froze. Why would Sora recognise him with what he had become? And yet…slowly, Sora shifted forward, sniffing his hand? He chirped again and moved closer, pressing into his glove, and Riku found his fingers moving through inky black, smoky, hair.

“I’m sorry,” he choked out, hand trembling. “This wasn’t meant to happen. How did this happen?” he shook his head. “Please Sora, come back.” He was doomed to Darkness but Sora? No, he refused to believe it. Had the Heartless overwhelmed Sora while he was out and taken his heart, reducing him to one of them again?

“Sora?” a voice called, and he recognised it as Goofy.

What would they do if they saw Sora in his current form? Would they try and kill him? No, they’d seen him as a Heartless at Hollow Bastion and hadn’t hurt him, but Kairi wasn’t there to help him. They wouldn’t remember the condition he’d been in at Castle Oblivion though, would that help or hurt? He knew they wouldn’t react well to his own presence due to the coat. But Sora had perked up again at the sound of his name, letting out a chattering call.

“Gawrsh, Donald I think it happened again!”

Wait…what? Had the Knight actually recognised the noise? Had…had this happened before? He looked at the Heartless form of his best friend, seeing him shifting in place, wanting to stay with him and go to his friend?

“Sora?” he whispered, and yellow eyes locked on him again. He recognised his own name, that had to be a good sign, it had to be.

Carefully, Riku pushed to his feet, Sora skittering back again but then moving in to press against his legs, staring up at him. He reached down and gently tugged Sora so that he was standing upright too. He pressed his gloved hand to Sora’s cheek and Sora leant into the touch.

“Your friends need you Sora, you need to come back,” he told him before moving away and opening a Corridor of Darkness.

He wanted to stay, to make sure Sora would be okay, but he couldn’t. He had to trust that Sora’s Light was bright enough to banish the Darkness…even if the distressed cry he let out hurt more than he wanted to admit as he closed the Corridor to keep Sora from following him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Goofy saw Sora in anti-form again, smiling when Sora skittered immediately to his side. He actually gripped Goofy’s pants, carefully, and tugged on them, so he moved int hat direction but there was nothing there….no, there were signs of a fight. “Did ya get hurt Sora?”

Sora chittered, obviously trying to tell him something, but Goofy didn’t understand. Sora wavered and then the Darkness began to lift from his form and he staggered, Goofy moving to support him.

“Back ta the ship, we’re done here anyway,” Goofy told him, and Sora nodded, looking a bit confused.

Donald soon joined them and they made it back to the ship, Donald flying while Goofy got Sora settled in to sleep.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora groaned, the whole body ache and foggy memory telling him what had happened. He felt the magic of a cure wash over him and lifted his head to find Donald and Goofy hovering in concern. He mustered a smile for them and accepted the cup of water, trying not to let his hand shake. “I’m good. Did we get them all?”

“Sure did, already in the air so get some sleep,” Donald answered.

Sora nodded and curled up to sleep, the best cure for the odd way he felt after taking that form, it kept them from noticing the way his muscles spasmed on and off too, and thankfully they hadn’t caught the few times he’d ended up throwing up either. He didn’t remember anything that had happened at first, but the memories would eventually come to him, even if they were very strange. His senses were different like that and it made it hard to work things out.

Hours later he woke, still groggy, physically feeling a lot better, but confused. He’d ripped through the Heartless like always but there was something… a figure also fighting…black coat…the Organisation? Donald and Goofy down, nothing surprising there if he was in that form. The black figure going down towards the end of the fight…leaning over them but not attacking. His…his name…why had the person called his name and like that? There was something niggling at the back of his mind, something about what Anti-form had picked up when sniffing him…he’d let him pet him? What the heck? He couldn’t make out what the man had said, just his tone and emotions. There’d been horror, fear… grief… longing… why?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku slumped down, digging through his meagre meal. It wasn’t very appetising and had gone cold, but he didn’t really care. A lot of things he did just to keep himself going, getting no enjoyment from them anymore.

He couldn’t stop thinking about his ‘reunion’ with Sora. Had he somehow recognised Riku despite the fact he was totally concealed by the coat and wearing Ansem’s form? It had hurt so much to leave him behind, but he could not let him see what Riku had become to save him, he knew Sora would blame himself and he didn’t want that. He would find a way to stop the Organisation and get Sora home to Kairi, then he’d vanish into the Darkness where he belonged.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

They ran to the harbor, but they could see the ship sailing away from the port.

“We're too late!” Will frowned.

“Huh?” Sora glanced at him, wondering why he wanted to reach the ship.

“Those pirates kidnapped Miss Swann and took her to their ship. Now they've sailed, and I'll never be able to find her!” he explained.

“Then she's long gone. The Black Pearl is nigh uncatchable. Best find yourself another girl, mate,” a voice called and they all turned to see a man on the ship tied up next to them.

“You... What are you doing aboard the Interceptor? She's off limits to civilians,” Will stated.

“Ah, fortunate that I'm going to commandeer her, then. She'll make a fine pirate ship,” the man smirked and drank from a bottle.

Sora’s eyes widened in awe but also a bit of worry. “A pirate!” the Islands had pirates, though they didn’t generally attack on land anymore, sticking the trade routes between islands.

“Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please,” he bowed theatrically and Sora’s fear faded totally, he may be a pirate but he felt like a good person too.

“Take me with you. Help me hunt down the Black Pearl and save Miss Swann. I got you out of that jail cell, Sparrow. Do this and your debt's repaid,” Will told the pirate, surprising Sora. He’d broken him out of jail?

“You'll have to win fair lady's heart alone, mate. I see no profit in it for me.”

“C'mon, Captain!” Sora crossed his eyes, staring up at the pirate.

“Are you sure you can sail her, all on your own?” Will smirked slightly.

Jack paused, contemplating his plans. “You've a point there,” he admitted so they climbed aboard.

“Thanks, Sparrow,” Will told him.

“CAPTAIN Sparrow.”

“I'm Sora. This is Donald and Goofy,” he happily introduced the group.

“I'm Will Turner.”

Something about that got Jack’s attention. “That would be short for William, I imagine. No doubt named for your father, eh?”

“Yes,” Will agreed warily, picking up on the interest too.

“Well, then, Mr. Turner. You get us ready to make way. I've some effects to liberate.”

“Aye-aye! But hurry,” Will told him.

“Naturally.” He nodded and left.

“Sora!” Donald hissed.

“You really wanna be a pirate?” Goofy asked, and Sora shook his head.

“Of course not!” he’d seen what pirates did and he wanted no part of that.

Jack soon returned and motioned him aside. “What do you make of this Will?”

“I don't know. We just met him,” Sora shrugged.

“Hmm... I think my luck's about to change,” Jack grinned and Sora frowned but then got to work helping to cast off, a life on the Islands making him more of a help then Will who turned out to be a Blacksmith.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Is it true? You gave Barbossa my name instead of yours. Why choose my name?” Will asked in confusion.

“I don't know,” she admitted, staring down at her hands as she sat on a crate in the hold.

Will saw the medallion in her hand and frowned. It had been years, but he’d still recognise it anywhere. “Elizabeth...where did you get that?”

“It's yours. From that day we found you…drifting at sea.”

“After all this time... I thought I'd lost it. It was a gift from my Father...he sent it to me.” He’d thought it had been lost that day but obviously not.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered, handing it back.

“Why did you take it?” the Governor’s daughter was hardly a thief but why?

“Because I was afraid that you were a pirate. That would have been awful,” she told him and he moved away to pace, feeling sick.

Everything he’d thought he’d known about his Father…why had his Mother never told him? Especially towards the end, she had to have known he would go looking once she was gone. What would have happened if he had found him? “Of course... Don't you see? It wasn't your blood they needed... it was my father's blood - My blood. The blood...of a pirate.” He’d always hated pirates…how could his Father have been one?

He left her there, heading up onto the deck, grateful that Sora and his friends were asleep, smiling at the sight of the boy sprawled in a pile of ropes. It was obvious Sora had sailing experience, although not on such a large ship, but it had come in handy, especially since leaving Jack behind. Then there was his strange weapon and…magic? Just who were they really? And where were they from? Definitely not Port Royal.

_TBC…._

_So is KH Remind worth the $45? Frustrating that it doesn’t seem to have a physical version and just the digital from the Playstation store? Means I can’t shop around for second hand._


End file.
